The Change
by Akira M
Summary: Electricity. Ions of excitement buzzed her senses. The change was coming like a wave.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own any elements of Twilight or this story. **

_Before you start: This is Leah/Jasper ship. Will sail slowly but surely. I am not objective in my judgment and have little sympathy for some cannon characters. Be aware:)_

_The first chapter is short as it is an introduction to the story. Yet, the story will be larger and chapters longer depending on content. _

Beta: BlackwaterLove the Great

_**CHAPTER 1**_

"_**My Life"**_

"So this is my life," she thought of past years and the tiny community of La Push.

When she was younger, she always hoped for a new day to bring a change and take her away form the small reserve, its poverty and unemployment, its gossip and obscurity. So every day, she went to the small community school and hoped. She found someone who loved her, as strongly as she only wished. He gave her hart and support—together they planned on escape, moving to the city and starting college. But then he took away her hart and disabled like that, her hope left her a little.

Yet, after graduating, she still hanged on; working at the only grocery store in the area, she still counted on some change, everyday. And like this, day-by-day, her hope went away, slowly eaten by the obscurity of her _everyday_.

And perhaps this was the main reason that the night before her twenty-fifth birthday, Leah stood on the beach, her face looking toward the red line of the horizon. "Fate," she thought, "I am though with waiting for you."

" I am stronger than you, and I am not waiting for you any longer. I will make my life my own." She closed her eyes, her long hear dancing with the wind around her face.

000

Fate listened to Leah and smiled, "But I am not though with you Leah, not by a long shot my little one."

Fate focused her timeless eyes on the girl, "Your life begins now."

000

Walking back home, she kept her human form. Night was dark and humid wind pulled the warm air toward the ocean. Sand was quiet under her feet as she walked. The ocean roared in darkness, and only lonely pelicans cried over its steady hum. The birds flew above her head, always staying close to the water. "It is like my life. Being wolf makes me stay here."

And this was true; her recent decision hurt her is some way despite being a smart choice considering she was 25, looked like 20, and still needed her education. This and a small fact that there was almost no jobs for her in the reserve and any decent position in La Push was filled by college-graduated White middle class. She snored at the thought.

Being a wolf gave amazing life, potential infinite life, breathtaking animal wildness, and a new sense of self. Indeed, she loved her new instincts and power. The moment of phasing, once mastered, brought a pure explosion of senses and perceptual orgasm of perfect vision and smell. Yet, her instincts made her into an animal giving her unstable fits of range, forcing her to stay with her pack, making her weak and obedient every time she faced the voice of her alpha. And this part of her wolf-self she hated. She despised how dog-like her personality became.

Like with all pack members, the essence of her was coated in commitment and faithfulness. Dog-like devotion to other wolfs who, frankly, looked at her as alien and stranger despite their general acceptance of the she-wolf. Canine loyalty that forced her to follow her alpha. The alpha with ego as overgrown as his immaturity, the alpha who forced them to stay wolfs and protect his vampire-ish imprint.

000

With night, the beach grew quieter, wind coming down to strong gusts of warmth on her face. Walking slowly and watching the contours of the trees and water, she smiled at the thought of what was to happen.

"Who would though that coming back to school would make me feel happy?"

At the thoughts of going to college she felt her life grew more important. _She_ felt important and mature, growing above her cheap clothes and dark color of the skin. Her head filled with dreams of new people and the power of knowledge, her walk gained a happy bounce. She turned away from the wind and climbed the sand back to the road and home.

The road was quiet with night so dark her eyes strained to see the pavement under her feet. And yet, the smell and fine sounds of summer forest guided her senses.

000

In the past she hoped to study things she liked, literature or music. She hoped to pursue something artful and light, something full of creativity and wildness. Yet, with years, the importance of staying close to her family started to matter. Now, finding a career that would allow her to stay close to her home, and perhaps support Seth through college, became her focus. The protective, wolf side of her dictated her plans now.

000

"My decision is final!"

"Do you know what you are even talking about?"

"I am more that capable of being among people, I haven't touched them in decades, Alice. Now I actually have to learn how to live with them. How long do you think you can keep me secluded from everyone!" Jasper's voice rang among the walls of the spacious house.

Carlisle looked at his wife, both staying quiet.

"You are not the only one. How about including us into your decision." Now Alice was fuming. Stepping close to his face she shouted, her eyes focused on Jasper's.

"I'm thinking of you! I need to re-learn the society so I can be what you want me to. I feel your frustration that we always have to stay secluded," he looked at her, "Can you deny that?"

Alice stared at him, her moth moving but not forming words.

"Jasper, you know," her face pleading despite fists tightly clenched at her sides, "you know that since _that_ night …Perhaps you need more time?"

"More time? Alice, I attacked Bella at her party, I _know_." His lips curled lightly in self-conscious disgust, " but it was seven years ago. I am different now. Don't you see? I feed on animals regularly and I work on being with humans"

"Why don't you see that, Alice?" His face was still carrying the signs of self-loathing, but Jasper's body took a defensive stance.

Carlise and Esme observed how Jasper moved away from Alice, clearly annoyed at feelings he read form her.

"I feel your disatisfaction, Alice." Before he left the room, Jasper turned to her again, "I started to think about going to school last year. And since than, you became angry. Angry and disappointed with me."

"Why wont you enroll with me? When was the last time you went to school? You could start on a new degr-…"

"No Jasper. I will not."

This time Alice moved away even further from Jasper, "I cannot."

They stood in the opposite corners the Cullen's living room, separated by only thin air. And yet, the still air felt like a timeless divider between the two.

Then, both left the room. Without a word and without making a single noise, the couple left each taking different exit.

000

Esme kept quiet, witnessing the scene.

It was not the first fight of theirs. Recently they became more than recent and louder than usual.

Jasper started to avoid Alice hunting and roaming forests though night. Alice became quiet and angry and avoided everyone.

When asked what future she saw, Alice preferred to stay elusive. " I don't see much, Esme. It is as if he disappeared. I only see me. Me alone."

Esme slowly sniffed the air. The air was still humid and heavy with impeding rain. It was like any other morning in La Push, which inevitably would end up with a rainy afternoon.

Yet, she also felt something new.

Electricity.

Ions of excitement that buzzed her senses.

The change was coming like a wave.

000

**A/N: This is just a start. Thank you for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

_**CHAPTER 2**_

_**Beta: BlackwaterLove (the Great)**_

"And So It Begins."

For many people, working in a small 'Country supply and grocery store' was not a bad gig. In fact, Jerry, the owner has worked behind the counter for last twenty-eight years, proud of every day of his life.

Jerry grew up in the Reservation. He also was the only person here who worked without a single day off for almost three decades. On quiet days, he liked to sit in an old chair on the front porch patio that lead to the store. He stayed like that most of the time, observing streets of the small town from his old wooden rocker.

Jerry could also turn pretty annoying when trying to teach me the proper way of aligning cans of chili and pickles against the scraped shelves of his store. Sometimes I felt he trained me as some kind of a Wild-West apprentice, showing me the quirks of business and taking me along when negotiating the prices of fresh produce delivered weekly to the store.

In some way, it made me sad, to work for someone who loved his job while I could not be more miserable here. Yet, Jerry liked me for some unknown reason, and kept me around paying enough to save for college classes. He usually did not say much beside, "Good day, Leah," and, "You drive safely now, Leah."

000

And so, the symbiosis of Jerry and Leah lasted for several years now progressing to some form of a quiet friendship. In fact Jerry was the only person who knew about her college plans. She told him first, giving him a month for finding her replacement. But Jerry only smiled saying, "It is all right, Leah." His wrinkled hand patting her shoulder lightly, "Stay working for me, here. Say, will you work Sunday through Wednesday?"

His irises seemed faded with age, leaving him with bright gray eyes, always lightly moist. Slowly moving toward the counter, he smiled at her. "College will be good for you, girl. But you don't have to leave."

And this was the offer she could not deny. She could stay and make money necessary for her tuition and keep helping with the store. Of course, it also meant juggling ridiculous amount of responsibilities at one time. Attending school, keeping her job, studying, maintaining her family home, taking care of Seth, and running patrols. _Well_, she though still happy, _this at least will give me something to do_.

000

Carlisle could not be more agitated. Despite paleness and lack of breath, or any other indicator of being alive for this matter, Carlisle _felt_ nervous. His entire being was overtaken by busting anxiety and uneasiness of change. What was even worst, this time even Alice was not sure about the consequences of Jasper's move.

But Carlisle was nothing but practical. He took an unnecessary breath, making sure he inhaled though his nose and exhaled though his mouth. Slowly and peacefully. He could not change his body rhythms, but he could pretend that he controlled his body. Breath in and breath out. He truly believed that it helped to control his mind.

"Rational. Be rational." He spoke to himself. "What is the worst thing that can happen?" He closed his eyes, imagining the worst of outcomes. And considering his age and experience, his imagination suggested quite a few terrifying options. Yet, for Carlisle, who committed his life to create and sustain his family, the most painful would be to loose one of his children.

He was not stupid, he perfectly knew that the 'vegetarian' lifestyle could never be sustained outside of their family pack. The constant support and, admittedly, rules of family compliance kept the family members in the outspoken pact. _The whole is always greater than the __sum__ of the parts. _

Not mentioned aloud, all of them knew that their desire for blood was only weaker than the connection they managed to create among themselves. And yet, none of them separately could resist the song of human blood, alluring and primal like sex and death.

000

Jacob walked. Walking felt strange to him as the motions seemed to slow and unnatural after hours of fast wolf-run though the territory. But now he walked slowly through the bright-green glass of the front yard leading to Nessie's home. He loved the Cullen's household, he even accepted the elusive sweetness of smell as almost pleasant.

But even now, after years with the Cullens, he always was able to detect it, and if focused well enough on the smell, he was able to distinguish separate flavors that composed the vampires' aroma. Despite fresh air and open windows throughout the house, a subtle smell of wilted orchids and decaying plants seeped though the beautiful walls of the house and infected its expensive furniture.

Yet, taken separately, the vampires had quite unique smells to them. Although the sweet aroma of dying flowers was predominant for all of them, each of the Cullens carried a unique "bouquet" of flavors. Nessie was Jacob's favorite, as it was mixed with the typical human aroma of warm body and sweet fruit. Bella used to have a similar one, but now her smell was spicier and penetrating, like chili peppers mixed with vanilla.

Rose was… well, Rosalie smelled of roses. Jacob always smirked thinking about it. Surprisingly, the most human-like smell had Carlisle. His natural scent was more similar to human than vampire, with the strange mixture of skin oils and dead flowers making it almost confusing to wolves. His wife, on the other side, carried earthy smell, reminding Jacob of fresh dirt and grass.

Yet, perhaps the most surprising smells came from Alice and her husband. While it was hard to tell Alice's smell as she covered herself with perfumes and cosmetics, she gave off quite pungent aroma of hot chocolate. The smell, surprisingly, was not appetizing for the wolf. Quite opposite, the scent was heavy and mixed with an oil-ish undertone like coco mixed with heated motor oil. Meeting Alice, Jacob for first time in his life e cringed at the smell of sweets.

Jasper, on the other side, had scent that was almost too simple for a vampire. Bergamot, nothing else.

First it was hard for wolfs to describe Jasper's smell, and everyone referred to Jasper as the "tea" vampire. Only after several months Embry brought up the idea of bergamot. He argued with them, as none of this pack knew what bergamot was. Finally, Embry's mom made a point of inviting all pack members for dinned and serving earl gray. _Yeah_, though Jacob, _Jasper smelled like stupid sophisticated English tea. _

Considering the smells, it was herd to explain why when combined, the Cullens' smelled like dead orchids.

Today, standing at the doors of their house, Jacob not did not think of flowers or their smell as Nessie opened the doors and smiled widely. "Hi Jacob."

And this small and simple greeting filled him with pure happiness, just like that.

000

Carlisle felt bad about what he was about to ask. Yet, the treaty was still valid and he knew he could ask the shape shifter for help.

"Jacob," he entered the room to disrupt Jacob and Nessie as they watched a movie on TV. "I was wondering if I could have a word with you."

Jacob, surprised by the formality of Carlisle's request stood up, "Sure, is everything ok?"

"Yes— well no." Carlisle looked down, "There has been some…discussion in the family lately." Carlisle spoke slowly, his quiet words hardly distinguishable above the noises of the TV. "I feel that I…that we may need some outside input."

At this point Nessie had turned off the TV, her eyes were slowly moving between Carlisle and Jacob.

"About?" Jacob looked back at Nessie as she clearly knew what was going on, "What's up, Nessie?"

"Not my place to tell, Jacob." Her eyes casted down slightly ashamed at the secrecy of the situation.

"About what?" Jacob, although could be patient, was not exercising this particular quality of his character right now.

"Well," Carlisle sat in a chair, his body slightly slump. "There has been a disagreement, Jacob."

"Jasper decided to attend college in Seattle."

"So?" Jacob did not see anything wrong with going to college. It was boring and pointless, but hey, it suited Jasper who's life seemed amazingly boring and pointless to Jacob anyway.

"Jacob, it is _Jasper,_" this time Nessie looked up at her boyfriend and pulled him down to sit on the couch again. "He has…well, some problems with self-control, remember?"

This time it actually hit him. "Shit."

"Shit indeed," Emmett, who quietly listened to the conversation form the doorway, entered the room.

"What is Alice saying? Is this why you think it is a problem? Because Jasper will attack someone?" Jacob became upset_, do they want me to kill him?_ This would be the most bizarre request. One that Jacob actually would not be able to comply with—after all, Jasper was a pert of this family.

"No!" Nessie and Carlisle jumped at once, Emmett stayed quiet.

"We don't really know what is going to happen." This time Edward's voice cut though the silence.

"What are you doing here?" Carlisle looked even more agitated, "I just wanted to have a small conversation with Jacob."

"No family secrets, remember?" Edward smiled and sat next to Nessie. "This is too serious of a conversation, I wanted to be here. All of us are already involved, anyway."

Carlisle took a deep breath.

"All right," Carlisle focused on Jacob again, "Alice does not see him any longer in her visions."

"How come?"

"We don't know. Usually Alice is not able to see people who are…well, who are not the part of her immediate family. "

"Or wolves." Jacob added.

"Or wolves." Carlisle confirmed.

_Or dead vampires_, Jacob though in a moment of understanding.

"Exactly," Edward nodded without further clarification.

The silence engulfed the room, no words spoken. Yet, there was so many questions, Jacob could not stop himself from looking at Edward. _Why do you want my help?_

"Jacob," Edward spoke, "You are a part of this family already. We though you could help us."

"We thought…" Carlisle voice broke at the boldness of his request, "…you would help us to protect him."

Jacob face was blank as his mind, "Come again?"

"Jasper needs someone to protect him,"

"A big vampire who fought more conflicts than all wolves together needs a wolf to protect him? And why not any of you will do that?"

"Jacob, after Alice refused to enroll with him to college," Nessie took his hand in his, "Jasper refused Rosalie, Bella, Edward and Emmett. He said if they won't back off, he would leave the family and do it on his own."

"He thinks we don't trust him." Emmett added.

"Well, do you?" Jacob question hanged in the air.

"We do…but after what happen during Bella's party years ago, I cannot stop thinking that he may do something uncontrollable. And then there is Alice and her lack of visions of him…" Carlisle looked at his hands, " We need someone to protect him."

"And why would he agree on a wolf to protect him? He just refused all of you!" Jacob thought the idea was ridiculous.

"The treaty." Carlisle spoke looking directly at Jacob now. "The treaty is about crossing the territories and the safety of the community. If you, as the pack leader, would decide that Jasper's presence in the community may be a danger and that Jasper may need a …I don't know, a guard when he interacts with humans form the community, than Jasper has to comply with your opinion. Otherwise, he would violate the agreement between your tribe and our family and we would have to move out from Forks."

"And you think that if we pull the family card, Jasper will agree to the guard while in college?" Several nods confirmed Jacob's suspicions; they had already talked, not only about Jasper, but also how to rope himself into their problem.

"And if I refuse to give you a guard for Jasper, Jasper would go to college anyway and possibly endanger the humans there." Another nod. "And then he possibly would be in danger himself, so you would move out anyway." This time only Carlisle looked at Jacob. Nessie's had squeezed his hand to the point of pain.

Jacob knew he would do anything to keep Nessie with him.

"All right." He stood up, all eyes at him.

"I will give you the guard for Jasper. " He though of all pack members.

"But I tell you one thing, this will not go easily."

000

**Thank you for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

Beta/Editing: BlackwaterLove (the Great)

_**The Change, Chapter 3**_

_My Mom, the Elder_

"Mom?"

No answer. The house was as quiet as when she left in the morning to work.

"Mo-om! I'm home!" Although at twenty-five-years-old, she kept some old habits of a teenager.

"Stop shouting, Leah. I can hear you, along with the rest of the town," Sue emerged from her bedroom, buttoning the top of her blue shirt. "So, what's happening, sweetheart?"

"Oh, I just wanted to make sure you were here…and where is Seth?" Leah looked around, but the boy was no where to be found.

"Well, I am not sure, but don't worry, he'll be back by dinner time. Seth hasn't missed a meal in the last ten years." Sue appeared relaxed as she walked toward the kitchen.

"Oh, right," Leah dropped her bag on the kitchen table and sat down on one of the chairs. "So, you look nice today," a sly smile appeared on her face. "Is Charlie coming over?"

"This old thing, you like it?" Sue said as she pulled a large stewing pot from the cabinet and turned the oven on high. "I think I bought it…well, I don't even remember when…"

"Last month, mom," Leach grinned. "Charlie will like you in it." With this, she stood up and rushed to her room, "And mom?"

"Yes, sweetheart?" Sue's voice was caring mixed with an ironic note, aware of her daughter's cunning smile.

"I want you guys all here for dinner. I have something to tell you all," with this, Leah entered her room, the door closing behind her tall frame.

000

Dinner was excellent, as ever. Nothing fancy or with a French and unpronounceable name; rather, simple home cooking made with hint of home-grown cilantro and green onions. Leah prided herself on her contribution to the meal, the fine chopped tomato salad with green onions and sour cream. "Pure awesomeness," Seth commented.

"True you are, my wise brother," Leah was all in a smile throughout the whole dinner.

As Charlie gossiped with Sue about Billy's potential new girlfriend, Seth polished off his plate and quieted down waiting for an opportunity to leave the table.

"Hold on, brother, before you leave you need to hear something."

Seth raised his eyebrow, a gesture he clearly got from Jake, "Oh, yeah? And what would this be, dear sister of mine?"

"Well," Leah put away her cutlery and looked around the table. Sue and Charlie stopped speaking.

"I just wanted to tell you that I am starting college this fall." When she practiced how to announce the news, she placed more emphasis on the pathos of the message, wanting the announcement to knock Seth and Sue of their chairs. Now, however, with their attention at her she became almost shy.

When nobody said anything, she continued, "Well, I wanted to start college years ago, you know…But after all that happened with dad and the pack, I decided to wait a little and now I think is the time."

"Oh! My baby." Sue jumped to her feet and ran to hug her daughter, "I am so proud!"

Seth joined the hug; even Charlie stood up and contributed to the family celebration.

"My sister will be finally a lawyer! I always knew you would make a great one, sis. You are smart enough and argumentative as hell..."

"Lawyer?"

"Err…" Leah, still in Sue's arms turned toward Seth, "Actually, a law school is somewhat outside of my plans. . ."

Seth blinked, "It is?"

"Seth, law school is like…I don't know fifty thousand dollars a year? I don't have a scholarship after I took a break for school, and besides, for anything like this I would have to move out."

"You are not moving out?" Seth blinked again. Sue stayed quiet, her smile slipping from her face.

"I am going to La Push community college, silly. It's way more affordable, and then I can keep the job with Jerry and stay with you guys." Leah beamed.

"But I though…"

"Seth, shut up. I really want to be here. Do you think I want to miss the most awkward part of your adolescent life? Stay outside of your dating misery?" She was laughing while punching Seth in his arm lightly. Seth grumbled a little but his face stayed serious.

"So what is the new career goal, Leah?" Charlie politely asked.

"Well, Charlie, I will want to take my core classes first and then enroll into the nursing program." She paused for a moment. "I figured that in this area, the only jobs that are around are either teaching or medical professions. And I want to stay around you guys, I really do."

Sue stayed quiet, and hugged Leah once more, "I am so proud of you, Leah," her voice was a quiet whisper but everyone on the room caught the words. Leah could only return her embrace.

000

The dinner ended and Seth left for the evening to the Cullens, Charlie left for his evening patrol, and Sue finished cleaning the table.

"Need help, mom?"

"Sure, you can dry the dishes. I hate to wait for them to dry," Sue handed Leah a towel as she spoke.

"So, what made you to decide on nursing, really?" Sue asked, while handing a freshly cleaned white plate to Leah.

"I'm not sure, I guess several things. I need a change mom, and it's not happening. Unless I do something, anything." Sue noticed Leah avoided her question but did not press.

"You could leave the Reservation, you know? You always dreamed of that."

Leah smiled while drying the next plate. "Perhaps, mom. But first of all, I don't have the money." Sue wanted to say something, but Leah raised her hand, "And you don't have it either. I would prefer that you send Seth away for college, god only knows he needs to learn civilized ways of life."

"Anyway, if I leave, it is like I don't belong, you know? I was thinking about that and…I guess being a wolf for so long made me crave to belong, to be a part of something." Leah looked at her mother.

"But perhaps this is why you should leave? To find your own place to belong? You used to dream of a law school. Remember, with your dad, you always planned how you could fight for the native rights," Sue smiled at the memory.

"Yeah, perhaps. But for now, I am staying mom." She turned from her mother, her jaw set. "Of course I had dreams. Everyone has. But I also have to stay within the reach of reality. And life here and studying nursing is a real goal."

"Hey, I don't want to upset you, sweetheart…"

"I know mom, I know."

They finished cleaning and washing in silence. After Leah left for her night patrol, Sue stayed inside watching her daughter walk fast toward the forest. Her fingers clenching the edges of the tabletop as the memories of Leah and Harry together played in her head.

000

"Mom, is that you?" Hours later Leah walked back from the forest barefoot, her shoes swinging from the tops of her fingers. Soft light seeped outside though a kitchen window giving the house a soft hue. Sue's silhouette the only moving shape in the shadow.

"It's me, I made some tea. Sit with me." The kettle and two mugs stood at the top stair of the porch. " I'm sorry for making you upset, I really didn't mean that," Sue sat on a stair below, her back against the wooded banister.

Leah looked at her mother's face, the night hiding her expression. "Don't worry about that, mom, it was really nothing." She reached for a mug and sat next to Sue. "So, what are you doing here?"

"I don't really know," a smile showed through Sue's voice, " I used to do this a lot, you know? With Harry."

"Sit on the porch in the middle of the night, you mean?" Leah could not recall a single instance of such.

"No, stay all night and talk."

"About?"

"I don't know, our day, plans, life. It stroked me today that I haven't even suspected that you applied for college. You had to start your preparations months ago, and I hadn't even noticed."

"So, anything special to report today," Leah wanted to bring the playfulness to their conversation.

"I don't know, my daughter goes to college. It's a big thing to hear for a mother."

"Mo-om, this is not _so_ different. I will be living here with you and the only change is that I will drive three times a week for some evening classes. This is it."

"Oh, common, you don't believe that, do you? If you thing this would not bring a real change, you would not want to do that in the first place."

"All right, all right. I do hope to learn new things. Meet new people. Who knows perhaps I will even imprint on some college boy?" The playfulness in her voice gave away to somber sadness.

Sue let the conversation die. The low humming of crickets grew for minute to die in the distance.

"You know, Leah," she started unsure how to proceed, "sometimes I think you got it wrong. With the imprinting business, I mean." She paused. "We know only a little about the wolf transformation, and the legends are old and repeated so many times that over the generations they probably lost most of their meanings."

"So you, the council member, are claiming that they are not true?" Leah half mocked and half hoped for some meaningful message in Sue's words.

"No…yes…Well, I know that as an elder, I am not to say bad things about our legends. But on the other side, as a council member I also have full right to criticize anything about them. So, I think that while some things in legends are real, others…well are a bunch of shit."

Leah burst in laughter, "Just don't repeat that to Old Quil!"

"I wouldn't dare to do so. Yet, it makes me think. The legends divide man and woman as two separate entities, right?" Leah nodded. "The legends only tell us about the male-wolfs. This was also the reason why we were so surprised that you phased. All because the legends don't mention female shape-shifter. Well, they either don't mention females or the stories about girl-shifters were lost some along the way. But there is one strong conclusion here, Leah. You are not following the same rules as male-wolves." Sue said in a strong voice waiting for Leah's reaction.

"Mom, this is something I kinda' figured out myself, you know?" Leah was not terribly impressed.

"Oh Leah, just think about that. What we know is that all wolfs imprint and that imprinting is final. But while males imprint in one moment, it does not mean that you imprint in the same way."

"Meaning?"

"Well, this part I am not sure of, really. But consider how legends describe the male and female element. They are always different. Males hunt and kill fast. Male gods are gods of war and destruction that happens in one moment and has lifelong results. For havens sake, even when they impregnate a female, it takes what, five minutes?" Leah was somewhat speechless at her mother rampage.

"But female element works so much different. Earth is female—it grows and develops. Supports life over time to nourish it to the full potential. There is a reason that gods of farming and fertility, birth and love, they are all females. And our part in producing a child is long and painful, we take nine months from the start to the pain of delivery…our existence is bounded by gradual growth and nourishment, not a spur of the moment."

Leah listened now, "What are you saying than, that I can imprint but…"

"But it most likely will be a gradual imprint. It is only a theory, but... Who knows, perhaps you already know your imprint but haven't grown to feel it yet?"

Leah was speechless. Was this possible? _Well, it was a theory_, she pondered. Yet, was it even possible? She stared at the stars.

The crickets' low hum came in waves. The darkness disrupted by the kitchen light. Two women immersed in the night, deep in thoughts.

000

One hour later, the two women sat at the stairs of their house listening to the sounds of night and gazing at the summer sky. Heavy tea mugs in their hands and a small teakettle sitting between them. Not many words were spoken, and yet, the two understood each other perfectly in that moment. Both surrounded by darkness and immersed deep in thoughts.

"Would you like some more?" Sue's reached for the red kettle.

"Sure." Leah brought her mug within Sue's reach, "This is so relaxing…this evening…" The hard part was not to find the right words, but to finally say them, "Thank you mom."

Sue smiled at her daughter, her eyes sparkling. She handed Leah a mug full of warm tea. The night progressed, and the sky grew slightly liter in the east.

Leah encircled the mug with her hands enjoying the aroma the tea left on her tongue. Exotic and yet so familiar. She took another sip, "This is a great tea, mom."

Sue kept staring into the night, light smile never leaving her face, "I am glad you like it."

"What tea is it?

"Earl gray."

Leah smiled and took another sip. "Earl gray," she repeated quietly enjoying how the syllables rolled of her tongue.

And the night grew old, and first morning birds appeared in the dusk.

000


	4. Chapter 4

_**CHAPTER 4**_

_**Beta: **_**BlackwaterLove (the Great)**

"My Jane Austin Moment."

Since that night, her thoughts stayed on the gradual imprint idea. Even running her afternoon patrol through the rainy forest, her thoughts stayed on the conversation from the previous night. _Was it even possible?_

From one side it was the most ridiculous and absurd things she has heard. On the other side, why not? She agreed on some concepts: the female element was substantially and temporally different than the male one. Females, human and animal alike, were all similar in this respect—their being relied on growth and slow progress.

Be it art or politics, women build their power and knowledge brick by brick. She focused on the first three female artists that came to her mind. Georgia O'Keeffe, Virginia Wolf, and Sofia Copolla.

Who would be a politician? Margaret Thatcher or Angela Merkel. _They all grew to be whom they were. Not jumping into the political stardom like that idiot Berlusconi._ No, women in general did not _jump into things. And artists_, she pondered_, all the directors like Cohen brothers or Polanski._ _Boom_! _They make a move and get famous instantly. _

_So, perhaps—just perhaps Sue was right…_And Leah did not think of any other examples, almost scared that they could refute Sue's theory. _Well, they are examples that prove otherwise, I am sure. But…hell! If there is even a tiny grain of possibility that this is true…_She smiled, which in her wolf form and at full speed looked more feral that joyful.

She was running by herself, Jake and Seth were visiting Nessie, Quil and Embry were lost somewhere in the depths of Friday nights partying of La Push. She did not mind picking weekend shifts and, considering that the Cullens were the only vampires in the area, one person patrols were quite s normal thing. Actually, to Leah they were more pleasant as she did not have to force her thoughts down and she could let her train of thoughts run wild.

The evening was darkened by the rain and heavy clouds. The moisture in the air damped all the smells. Leah slowed down her run when approaching cliffs. Despite bad rain, she was afraid to be spotted by a random tourist. The wind blew toward her making her nose twitch. She moved closer to the edge and looked down. The ocean looked dark and heavy with angry water. Even the birds stayed hidden. Leah stood still.

The uneasy calm and lack of animals made her wary. She sniffed the air again. And then, slowly first, she dropped on her belly as she smelled them. _Ah, the Cullens_, she stayed close to the ground trying to catch a glimpse of the vampires.

Not that she wanted to spy on them. Rather, she never trusted the strange creatures. Crawling close to the edge of the cliff, she saw them. There were two, female and male; both ghastly white and sweetly smelling. The female sat on a lower cliff, perhaps 20 feet below Leah, the male stood next to her, his face directed toward the ocean.

Busy with themselves and protected from the wind by the walls of rocks, neither of the vampires noticed the wolf observing them from above.

Leah lied down and tilted her head. _What would a vampire want here?_ She looked around, there were no animals to hunt, no humans. She knew little about them. One of them liked shopping. The other was a doctor. But these two were vaguely unfamiliar; staying quiet during the few times she saw them.

"Are you sure?" Leah stayed at the conversation.

"Yeah, they called one of them to ask him whether they would follow me. Can you imagine?"

"What do you mean 'follow.' As in 'shadow you' or put a 'guard' on you?"

"Fuck if I know, Rosalie! I only know that the family decided that the fuckin' monsters will be around me! And you know what is the worst? Edward and Bella and Emmett, hell, even Alice were there. They all think that I will go crazy or something. Fuck!" The tall men threw his arms in the air.

"They didn't tell me."

"Well, because they knew you wouldn't allow for this to happen."

There was a quiet pause. Leah, suddenly interested, moved her head further toward the edge to see better.

"I think Alice had a lot to do with it, you know? I am not sure what is going on, but she became unsettled about something." The man turned his face from the wind and faced Rosalie, "She says that I am not longer in her visions."

"So," Rosalie said slowly, "She thinks you are going to ditch her? That's silly." She laughed but then stopped as she registered the expression on the man's face.

"We…we are not doing well, Rosalie. Ever since I attacked Bella, Alice became unsure of me. And I understand that. She then encouraged me to learn how to live with people around. Rosalie, _she_ was the one who suggested going back to school! And now, when I decided to give a try, she changed her mind about that."

Rosalie stayed focused on his face.

"Why are you looking at me like this? You feel …unsure." His head hanged down, "Rosie, not you too, please…" the last words were quiet, almost a whisper.

"Jasper, oh my sweet Jasper." Rosalie stood up and embraced the tall man in front of her, " I have no doubts in you, never you." She took his face in her hands and gently lifted it to look in his eyes.

"I only know that Alice's vision are sometimes accurate. Is she is afraid that you disappear, well, it makes me afraid too."

Leah stared at the couple. The bond between them too close for mere siblings, but not exactly romantic.

"Hey," Rosalie loudly interrupted the silence, "heads up. Perhaps we all overreact? Perhaps she cannot see you because you will be followed by the stinky beasts, you know? "

Leah tilted her head to the other side, _Who are the 'stinky beasts'? Are they going to have some other vampires following the Jasper fellow? _Leah's internally whined, _Please, no more vampires! I cannot take any more stench…_

"Well, this would actually make sense, you know? She forces you to take classes, then she and others want the beasts to follow you. And then she is surprised she cannot see you in her visions. For fuck sake, how stupid is she? You disappear form her visions and this is her damn fault."

"So you don't think this is because something happens to us?"

"Us?"

"I mean my relationship with Alice. It has been rocky as it is…" Rosalie only shrugged at this confession.

"I know. Well, don't look at me like that; it is really not so hard to notice that you stopped having sex or that you don't talk much to each other. This damn house is way to small for all this drama." Rosalie has a sober outlook on life.

"So," Jasper decided to change topic, "which of the beasts do you think they will give me?" Now Leah's interest picked even more.

"I don't know. Jacob is with Nessie every day, I don't think he will go" Rosie said.

_What the hell?_ Leah stood up.

"I am not sure, what other wolfs are there?" Leah's ears, trained on the conversation, twitched. _We are the stinky monsters?_

"There is Ember..no Embry." Rosalie corrected herself, " he always hangs out wit the other one…well, I don't remember the name. They both work in the mill in La Push. Do you think that one of them would do that? Neither of them seems too smart." She smirked.

"Oh joy, to be followed by a stinky wolf that is not only smelly but also stupid. Besides, don't they all have little education? I remember Jacob saying that Embry had to take his GED because he didn't finish high school," Jasper said.

"God, the wolfs are dumb." Rosalie added.

_Fuck you,_ Leah's screamed in her thoughts_, this is because he had to fight for your stupid vampire hybrid! Try to finish school if you are a wolf and in wounds half of the year, stupid bloodsuckers. _

"What about the young one?"

"The other one, Seth is way too young. Although the kid seems nice" Rosalie pondered, "What, don't look at me like this, I am capable of liking others." Rosalie laughed, "Besides, he is the brightest of the pack."

Leah looked at Rosalie carefully; perhaps the she-vampire had some hidden agenda for her brother? Leah growled quietly.

"What about the chick?" Rosalie proposed, "You know the wild crazy looking one."

Leah stilled. Even her breath died for a moment.

"I don't know, Rosie, she is just a wolf like the other ones."

_Just a wolf?_

"She seems cute." Rosalie offered, "when, of course, you are willing to overlook her clothes and smell."

"I don't know. Do you think they would assign her to shadow me? I know almost nothing of her."

"Well, I know a little. She is the sister of the youngest wolf. She was dumped by her boyfriend few years back. She doesn't date and she works part time in store. And I think she did not finish school either." Rosalie added, "Oh, Jasper, what a splendid choice of fine guards you have!" her laugh was derisive and coarse.

Leah kept standing. She should move and turn around and never comeback. She knew this. And yet, something in her, this self-destructive and masochistic part of her kept her frozen in place.

And although it was just a minute, or perhaps even less, it was enough for the winds to change and her smell to reach them.

Both vampires looked up. Now they froze waiting for Leah's reaction. Rosalie still smiling, although her face turning into a fake grimace; Jasper silent with a blank face.

"Did you want anything." Rose asked with a voice a little too loud for the small distance.

The vampires looked as the wolf backed out from the cliff slowly. The wolve's eyes trained on them and each move deliberately nonchalant. The animal turned around and walked away back toward the forest as if not interested in them or their conversation.

"Do you think it heard us?"

Jasper did not answer.

He tried to shake off the feelings of sorrow and humiliation that trailed behind the animal like tears.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: **__I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who reviewed so far. Your support is fantastic. One thing that I wanted to add: The idea of gradual imprint is a main motive of this story; thus, the entire story will progress gradually. It will arrive at adult and darker themes, but it also will take several chapters before we get there. So, stay patient_

_**Beta: BalckwaterLove**_

_**The Change, Chapter 5**_

"_A Bite."_

Stopping near the edge of the trees, Leah phased back to her human form. Trying to avoid any further damage to her already tattered dress, she carefully unfolded it from her small leather pouch. It was a second day of constant rain and the forest was wet.

Deep clouds moved fast across the sky, the summer wind, strangely cold for the summer weather, hit her skin and pulled on her hair. The wind shimmered across the trees, awakening howling sounds among old trees. The forest was dark and cold.

The moist air felt cold against her human skin. She pulled the dress over her head and tied her tangled hair into a low ponytail. Not that it helped her looks now.

The rain and mud clung to her skin as she left the forest behind. Seth was already waiting for her, his face grim.

"Heads up, brother. It is just vampires, right?" She joked, but felt unsettled herself.

Jacob called them just one hour earlier for an important meeting. The meeting was, surprisingly, at the Cullen's house. He did not tell them why they were to come, and why only the two of them. Not that it mattered, Leah and Seth trusted Jacob.

Leah, however, could not shake off an eerie feeling that was arising in her chest as she was getting closer to the house.

The house looked dark, with deep shadows sharply contouring the modern design of the house. Windows were shut with bright yellow light coming form each room of the house.

Her bare feet felt strangely uncomfortable on the thick doormat. She raised her hand to knock, but the doors silently opened revealing Edward. The vampire nodded to them and with a friendly gesture invited them in.

"Welcome, Jacob's waiting," Edward avoided further pleasantries and lead them to the living room.

Leah blinked, the bright space was filled with people. All members of the family, along with Jacob, sat on light-colored chairs and sofas. The picture perfect gathering, complete with six shiny apples in a white decorative bowl placed on the center of a coffee table. The house smelled of dead lilies and cinnamon. Everyone looked and Leah and Set as they entered, even the wind quieted down for the moment.

000

"You want me to do what?" Leah was not happy with what she had heard. Her face almost resembled Jasper's expression.

"Leah, please," Jacob was pleading.

"You are asking me to follow this vampire around, because he decided to start college?" Her eyes were opened wide.

"Well, yeah. You know, he is not like…dangerous. But considering that Jasper has some control issue, it would be good to have someone around." Jacob said glimpsing at Carlisle for support.

They asked her to work for a vampire who clearly hated her, and who was so derisive to her just a night before. feeling a blush spreading on her face, she clenched her jaws and set her chin high. This was not likely to happen.

"Of course, Leah, we would be forever grateful. I know you are committed to the community, and by having you around, we would only ensure the safety of the people." Carlisle smooth voice was persuasive and calm.

"If you want to ensure the safety of others, perhaps you should not mingle with humans, mostly these of you who have no self control!" Leah looked at Jasper who stood at the end of the room. His face was impassive and looked bored. His hands were clenched into tight fists.

"I am not asking you for help, girl. I don't care." Jasper spoke for the first time.

"Stop it Jasper," Carlisle interfered again, "you will follow what the family says. We all are."

There was a tense silence in the room, Jasper looked at the floor.

"Well, he may agree, but I don't," Leah said standing up from the chair.

"Leah…" Jacob warned, she shot him a glare.

"No Jacob, I am not undermining your position, I just have other obligations."

"Like?"

"I am starting college in La Push in two weeks," she stopped to let them process her words. "I also work three times a week and have to study for my classes. Then I run my patrols. I guess this is more than enough for a girl, no extra vampire responsibilities are needed." With this she turned toward Seth, "Lets go."

"Hold on, Leah," Carlisle was the first to react. "Why not to start classes together, you and Jasper? You will need core classes first, and they tend to be the same regardless of your future major."

"We'll cover your tuition expenses for as long as you stay with him." Carlisle added and Leah felt self-conscious. She touched her dress with the tips of her fingers and looked at the Cullens' leader. Behind him, Rosalie smirked at Leah.

"Please Leah, you can go to college as planned and drive each day to Seattle. We are willing to support Jasper in school, but we still want to retain the integrity of our clan. He will be driving back and forth five times a week."

"You would be with him in classes, enrolled in the same courses. You can go and just study together."

Leah always wanted that. To go to a decent school and be a real full-time student in a beautiful campus. But her dreams were far from what they offered her now. She would be a baby sitter to an unstable vampire; this would mean avoiding people and be isolated from all social events. Yet, she could help Jacob and at the same time earn some credits. Who knows, perhaps she could even earn some Pre-law credits? She smiled at that prospect.

She looked at Carlisle, than at Jasper.

"I'll do it, but only as a job. I don't want your gratitude or friendship. It is a strict business arrangement. You," she looked at Jasper, "stay away from humans and I will be as nice and professional as I can."

This time Carlisle nodded and Jacob smiled. Everyone seemed relived although Jasper had not voiced his agreement.

"No."

"Jasper?" Carlisle turned toward him.

"Do you really think that she could even stop me?" Jasper was livid. The tall native girl standing in the corner of the room only looked at him. In the mixture of energy and emotions that radiated from every person in the house, he did not even try to detect her vibes. Trying to block others, he focused on his own bitterness, "You not only decided that I lack control. You judged me before I did anything. Alice thinks I am a goner, don't you darling? I just can't believe you decided behind my back. And not only that, you assigned me…this girl?"

The girl in question strangely blurred. Jasper blinked and his vision was back to normal. She stared at him with a blank face, her fingers grasping tightly at the edge of her tattered dress. With wet hair and bare dirty feet, she was a picture of a poor reserve native than a vampire guard. Jasper almost felt sorry for the girl. _Almost_.

"No I will not accept that," he snared looking at the she-wolf. She was smaller than everyone else in the room, uneasy and uncomfortable. Out of her element of the forest, she looked lost and pathetic.

Something angry and self-defensive overtook him. "You really think she", he pointed his chin at Leah, "would be able to do a thing if I decided to attack?" His voice was soft and clipped, his mouth curved into a cruel grimace.

"Jasper, Leah is quite capab-…" Jacob stood up in the defense of his choice, Jasper felt anger build up in the room. Good, he thought, lets see who can win this fight.

"No," he interrupted raising his voice, "what would this girl would do, if I decided to attack?"

"What would you do girl?" He took a step toward Leah. "Would you growl as I drink a human?" He smiled.

"Would you howl for your friends to come over?" He tilted his head, "Do you know how long it takes a vampire like me to kill and drain? Minutes," He lowered his voice to soft tomes again.

"Jasper, stop!" Carlisle's voice rang through, but Jasper did not pay attention.

"You are too weak, girl," a step closer to Leah and she shook visibly. Jasper smiled.

"Too. Fucking. Weak."

000

Rosalie knew what Jasper was doing was wrong. Jasper's movement, so fluid and soft, only accentuated his motives. Along with the seductive voice, his eyes of steel mesmerized her, and not only Rosalie was the only one speechless. Everyone in the room had his eyes on Jasper, and Rosalie could bet, everyone on that moment was deadly attracted to every move he made. Probably even the wolves shook from sexual energy when Jasper chose to show who he really was.

A predator. Smooth, but ruthless to the bone.

And then in happened.

Rosalie kept her eyes on him. She really did. And yet, she could not explain what happened, or how it happened. She heard Jasper and saw Leah shake. She noticed Jacob trying to edge closer between the two, but he was too slow.

Frankly, anyone would be too slow.

Jasper kept approaching Leah, and then she saw a blur. Perhaps more _felt_ a shift in energy balance, because entire room changed, and the configuration of power reversed.

A large skinny wolf stood over Jasper, its angular body forcing Jasper to the ground with the speed of the attack.

The wolf's bloody teeth sharply ripping at Jasper neck.

And Jasper. On his knees, trying to regain control. On his hands a kneed, forced close to the ground by the wolf's jaws on his neck.

For a second, everyone in the room stilled. The only sound was the growls of pain and struggle.

With one move Jasper jumped throwing the wolf of him, the wolf hitting a wall, growling and readying itself for attack again.

And then, everyone erupted with shouts.

"Leah stop," Jacob's voice pierced thought chaos, "Do not attack!"

"You fucking dog, I will kill you!' Rosalie shouted, held back by Emmett.

"Rosalie, quiet." Carlisle raised his voice as he approached Jasper as Leah moved away slightly.

She stood growling, the snarling and crouching ready for an attack.

"So you think you won?" Jasper, held back by Carlisle and Edward shook with anger. "You attacked me without warning!"

Leah closed her eyes and her wolf form blurred again. Bruised and naked, she stood in front of Jasper with chin up in the air. "And do not make a mistake and think that I will not do it again."

This time, she was the one stepping towards Jasper.

"If you even think about human blood or do a move to hurt anyone, I will attack you. Do not make mistake, I will rip you apart without a single warning."

She turned around and naked, walked out from the house to phase into became a wolf a minute later.

She ran.

000

"Jasper, this was too much," Carlisle sat in his chair facing his protégée.

"We have signed a pact, and we want to stay here for next several years or so. Is it really that hard to stop fighting for a minute?" He sounded resigned and tired.

"I know, Carlisle," Jasper threw himself on a hair, his eyes closed. Carlisle silently examined his neck, no scars were even visible form the wolf attack.

"Frankly, I know I provoked her. I wanted her to attack me. I really did."

"Why?"

"I…I am not sure. From one side I wanted her to lose and be free from her. On the other side, I really wanted to fight her." His eyes fell on Carlisle, "Do you think this is a vampire-wolf thing? What if I will try to kill her every day like that? You know, in the end Alice's vision will be true, I will end up eaten by a big hairy wolf."

"Jasper," Carlisle's response seemed though-through, "I don't know what it was about. You seem to act normally around other wolfs. And perhaps this is the training you need—to manage your impulses. Be it for blood craving or wolf-provoking, you need to have a better grasp on your impulses. And I think Leah can and school can be the first step there for you. Do not dismiss that easily."

Jasper looked though the window. He could still detect her smell in the house. Female sex and moist air mixed with cheap shampoo and werewolf scent. The scent of he skin and heat of her body still lingered in his memory. He shrugged in disgust.

But this was perhaps what he needed. To learn how to control this feelings and not allow anything like that take him over again.

Who would be better than the wolf to practice on?

000


	6. Chapter 6

_**As usual, the beta was BlackwaterLove (the Great)**_

_**The Change, Chapter 6**_

"_And So It Starts."_

Leah sat on the plastic floor of her shower for over fifteen minutes now. The hot water turned lukewarm. And yet, she sat there, arms circling the long legs. She stared at her feet.

_She_ looked at her feet too. Leah remembered and a blush rose on her cheeks. It was hard to forget the ironic look and almost unnoticeable smile Rosalie gave her when she saw her muddy feet back in the Cullen's house. Rosalie gave her a long stare and exchanged looks with the short vampire girl who stood next to her.

Although nobody else gave her a cold shoulder, Leah was aware of how they looked at her and Seth. Like poor servants from the nearby village who can be hired at their call.

And for some reason the phrase _Just a wolf_ rang in her head.

000

Mornings at the Clearwater's house were always quiet. Seth usually left earlier to have time for a work out before school, and Sue's hospital shift started at six A.M.

Jacob waited for Leah to get downstairs. It was almost eight A.M., and Leah usually got up by then. With Sue at work, Jacob felt free to roam the kitchen. He knew that the best way to get into Leah's good graces was to serve her a meal. And Jacob had a little choice but to buy in her trust again.

He pulled eggs and milk from the fridge and set them next to a plastic bowl on the counter. Searching for butter and some jam, he didn't notice Leah entering the kitchen.

"What do you think you are doing, Black?" Leah, dressed in a see-through t-shirt and blue undies, crossed her arms across the chest.

Jacob jumped almost dropping a jar form his hand, "Oh, Leah, hi."

_How idiotic was that_, Leah kept staring him down.

"Well, I think I own you some explanation…and breakfast?" He half smiled avoiding staring at her body, hoping his boyish harm and an offer of fresh food warm her up.

"It better be good, Jacob. You made me look like an idiot in front of people who already think I am no one."

"No! Why would you think so?" Jacob looked surprised, "They are not like this, Leah, I know."

"And I know what Rosalie says when you are not around. I overheard her and the Jasper boy few days ago." She sat at the table, "she did not say anything bad about you, but she really seemed like she dislikes the pack, me in particular it seems."

"Rosalie…yeah, she's a bitch... Oh, sorry." He blushed again. "I didn't mean it like that…"

"I know what you meant, Jacob. And yes, she is a bitch."

"Anyway, are you still angry?" She thought of an answer to that, but no, she was not angry any longer, not really. She felt disappointment in Jacob, but only just a little. After all she knew that the imprint made him a lapdog, was happening to all of them. So really, what else should she expect but her alpha being biased toward the vampire group?

"No Jacob, its cool. You should have told me earlier though."

"I know. I'm sorry Leah." He chewed on his lower lip while mixing eggs and milk in a bowl. "So, are we cool?"

"Yeah, Jacob, we are." She smiled and leaned on her elbows toward him, "After all, you risked your neck for me few times in your life. Consider this your payback."

She sat looking at him making her breakfast. It was sweet of him, really. And who was she to judge his motives? She already learned a long time ago that imprint makes a wolf into a puppet. Empty, easy to manipulate, and biased love fool.

She would give anything in the world to feel love like this for herself.

000

Days passed and Leah with heavy heart had to resign form her post with Jerry. The old man was nothing but understanding, his patent face did not waver as she recommended her brother for her position instead. Seth would work for Jerry on weekends and Friday afternoons when the store traffic was the heaviest. Frankly, it left Seth happy as he finally found a change to make some money.

But she felt bad, it was not right to leave someone with whom you worked for so long.

They did not develop friendship or anything like that. And yet, her faithful nature prevailed even in this arrangement leaving her with the feeling of the broken heart.

000

The arrangement between the two was a strange one. Jasper did not communicate with her. It was Carlisle and Esme who called and sent her all the necessary documents. They gave her the schedule of her classes and times for meetings. With a warm and sweet 'we are so grateful to you, Leah,' they left her to ponder on her decision.

Signing under the college enrollment application, she felt like giving away a part of her soul. She knew it was too late to enroll for apply to college, the deadline passed last winter; and yet, with secret smile Esme gave her, she knew her application would be fully accepted without a question.

She discussed the terms with Carlisle and Esme only, asking for privacy during these talks. She did not want Edward or Bella, and definitely not Jacob to sit and listen to every word. She told the terms later, but did not want Jacob sitting there with her with satisfied smile on his face whispering to her, "Didn't I tell you, they are _nice_."

And that was the problem, Esme and Carlisle were genuinely nice. They did not hide their plans or goals. With open hands they admitted the need for help. So Leah too, opted for honesty.

"I don't like Jasper. I know he is one of these who used to killed humans. And I know," she looked at the couple in front of her, " he has been clean of human blood for decades. But just the fact he has trouble controlling that is an issue for me."

"Well, this it why he wants to be in college, Leah. He could take on-line course, but he wants to re-lean the human ways and how to control himself. This is the goal for all of us in this family; yet, for some it is easier than for others."

So, Jasper was the weak link. She had a hard time seeing him this way. Jasper, according to Jacob, was really old and his history reached to civil war, spread though vampire wars, and continued on with peaceful life. How someone who carried military ranks in active conflict zones, who killed without mercy for both humans and vampires, and who chose to become a radically different person…how someone like the is the weak link?

Jacob claimed he, like all other embers of this family, carried several degrees, earned at different times and in various specializations. He wanted to study law now, of all things. _Shit_. It only brought Leah closer to her fantasy goal. And this was happening just as she decided to study something simple and applicable, her life threw her into a new fantasy game.

She decided to roll with the punches. Who knew, perhaps this would be a real change she waited for?

000

The beginning of the semester started on August 24th, on a lovely Monday morning. She drove her 91' Corolla to the Cullen house. Her textbooks, purchased and sent to her by Esme, were neatly packed in her backpack along with her notebook and laptop.

Despite the complicated situation, she felt really good about coming back to school. She knew the schedule of her classes by hart now, reading it repetitively throughout the weekend.

First, she had literature, then public speaking, and finally her human health, which rally was another exercise class. This was her schedule for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while her Tuesdays and Thursdays were booked by elements of law and astronomy.

She tried to remember how to dislike school. After all her adolescent years were filled with certain dismay when she had to attend school everyday. Yet now, the only attitude she had toward the perspective of new education was joy.

She stopped her car in front of the Cullens' house. Jasper was already standing in the doorway with Esme at his side. Esme clenched in her hand a small lunch bag.

"Leah," she smiled, "you are right on time! I hope you don't mind, but as it is really early, I thought you may not have had time to prepare a proper lunch for yourself." She handed Leah the paper bag.

Leah took the lunch surprised. It felt strange to be grateful toward the vampire, but Esme was correct in her assumptions. "Thank you," was all she could say as Jasper moved toward her.

"Do you wish to use your car today?" Hearing Jasper producing voice of almost friendly quality was even stranger.

"If you don't mind?" She played nice.

He nodded and opened the passenger doors. She registered as he stopped breathing entering the car and fasting the seat belt.

"Well," she looked at Esme still standing in front of her gray Corolla, "I guess we will go now." It was more than awkward to interact like this with them.

She sat behind the wheel and started the car, "Ready?" She looked at Jasper.

His eyes moved along the road and turned back at her, "Yes."

000

Rosalie kept picking though the kitchen window. Delicately, as to not disrupt the arrangement of the window curtain, she moved her finger along the Jasper's figure. She could see his face and recognized how tense he was despite pretending otherwise.

As the rusty Corolla moved from their parkway, she turned away form the window.

"I guess it is happening, Alice."

Alice sat in her favorite armchair. It was of the color of dusty tea roses.

"I know," she closed her eyes.

"What do you see?"

Alice was quiet for a while and then borough hands to her heart. Her fingers clenched around a gold ring.

"I lost him. And all this time, I though that it was because this… But I lost him. Right now he is gone."

"Don't you exaggerate? He is just gone for the afternoon, he will be back, this smelly monster of the she-wolf will make sure of that."

"It's not that, Rosie." She opened her eyes, they were large and strangely moist, "This all started several years ago, now it is just the end. You know? He does not see me any longer like he used to. We are not together as a couple, we are not even friends. When we grew apart, I thought this would be just a flicker, but now, I almost like it like that."

Rosalie did not comment, she listened to Alice and wondered whether Jasper felt the same, like it was better for them to grow apart.

"This," she looked at the driveway where Jasper stood only a moment ago, "is just an end. Perhaps this is exactly what we we're waiting for?"

Rosalie did not answer. Again the silence of that ringed in their ears like emptiness.

000


	7. Chapter 7

_**Beta: BlackwaterLove **_

_**The Change, Chapter 7 **_

"_The First Day."_

She drove, not too slow, but within the speed limits of the highway. Jasper did not react to her, his eyes directed toward the road. He had not spoke to her since he entered the car.

With the commute to Seattle taking almost two hours, the ride was slightly awkward with angst undertones adding an angry edge to the silence. Leah wondered whether the smell of her car bothered him. The vehicle used to belong to her mom, but Leah inherited the car several years ago. Since then, the beaten up Corolla was the major mean of communication for she and Seth.

"You can open the windows if the smell bothers you, you know", she wondered whether it would be better to stay silent. Their last exchange of words ended up on quite unfortunate terms.

"No, thank you. I will just stop breathing," here he was again. Using _that_ voice. The silky quiet tone that, as she already learned, carried pure antagonism.

_So this how he deals with smells. He just stops breathing_, she mused. Oh, if it only was so simple for her. His smell, although subtle irritated her greatly. She unrolled the window of the driver side, "Whatever."

000

They arrived early. Leah sat in a parked car. "You know, we will have talk about it."

Jasper did not answer but look back at her, his expression as blank as before.

"I am here to keep my eye on you. I need to know…" she hesitated, "how is your control among humans. I will be with you all the time, but how safe it is for you to be in a group?"

"Humans?" Jasper asked innocently.

"No, princesses." She snapped, but then withdrew. "Yes, humans. When was the last time you attended school like this?"

"Look, girl," his voice regained its silky quality, "only because you are to follow me around, it does not mean you are to patronize me. After all, when was the last time _you_ attended university?" He opened the doors and exited the car, "I agreed for you to be here, but you are not to tell me what I can or cannot do. This," he looked at her with passive face, "was not a part of the deal."

Leah's irritation mixed with shame. He was right, she was stepping over the line. She nodded and flowed him out of the car.

000

The first classes of the semester were expected to stay on the disorganized level, where all students are late and professors distribute thick syllabus. And it was true for most classes, even their exercise class was limited to small course description and early dismissal.

However, the second class was one of the most terrifying experiences in her life. No, there were no vampires, well, no vampires to fight. No werewolves or sneaky mind readers. Rather, twenty-five students and a professor who looked and judged each word that came from her mouth. Public Speaking.

"Dear students. I want you all to introduce yourself to the class. Each of you will speak for four minutes, exactly. You are to introduce yourself giving us one detail about you. The goal of your speech is to make unforgettable impression on others." The instructor stood in front of the class, "Consider this your first assignment."

She looked at Jasper who sat calmly nearby.

Leah sighted, _Why in the world would I be afraid of talking to people?_ She used to dream of being barrister, well, she still secretly wanted to be one. _Didn't it require to publically argue? Present witty_ _arguments and be excellent at speeches? Well, if this is a case, I am screwed_, her thoughts despaired as each of the students was asked to give a five-minute presentation on whom they were_._

In addition, the professor asked them to mention one thing the other students should remember each speaker for. _ And this is just first day._ Panicking, she tried to list thing about her that are memorable. _Well, for one thing I am a wolf. What else? I don't know how to cook well, but I can run as fast as a vampire._ She sighed nervously. _This will not go well._

A majority of students were quite intimidated, but tried to show off. Most girls patted their hair and some re-applied their lip shine. "My name is Maggie and I am from South port. I like jogging and singing." Guys puffed up their chests saying, "I play baseball," or talked about constructs they had no idea about; "I am not a populist," or "I do not support the current government and the idea of governments in general." The epiphany of banality went on.

Leah grew more nervous waiting for her call.

Other students brought more or less attention to themselves, but mostly presenting pompous values of white corn-fed middle class. Leah kept listening. "My name is Jerry and one thing to remember me by is that I am unique because I am a voice of my generation." He pulled his I–pod and showed it to others, his t-shirt rising above his pale navel.

"I listen to Radio head and read Nabokov. I think outside the box." He finished and Leah could not but grimace at this display. _Listing to popularly streamed alternative music and reading dead Russians, right on, Mr. Unique_. Her thoughts were not kind as her agitation increased.

She listened to other students, "…And I am an expressive arts major. My life goal is to become at least as famous as Leonardo!" One of the students finished their speech.

"Leonardo da Vinci, I presume?" There was a certain amusement in the instructor's voice.

"No sir," the student responded, "Leonardo di Caprio!" The class laughed along with the instructor. Even Leah smirked.

She turned around trying to figure out her turn. Jasper looked at her strangely, she noticed.

Without a word, she sat straight, her eyes on her notes. _You will not show fear now, Clearwater_, she commanded herself, _not now, not ever_.

"Ms. Clearwater?" The voice of her professor rang and she stood up.

"I am not here to be a poet or to argue about nuances of modern pop culture. I leave this to others." She stood up and said loudly. "And my name is Leah Onawa Clearwater."

She took a pause, making sure the eyes of everyone were on her.

"My name is Quileute, it means 'wide awake.' And awaken I stand for my people and my heritage. For me, being awake is living the life that is around me and learn form others. It means to be ready to take advantage of others but also fight for them."

"But all of this you can learn about me later. For now," she lowered her voice, "all that you probably need to remember is just my name. Leah."

Everyone looked at her, her instructor smiled widely, "Well, welcome to the class Leah Onawa Clearwater."

Leah sat, her nerves still vibrating under her skin. And taking the first breath after her mini speech, she realized. The feeling, this resonance of her nerves it was not fear before the speech. Now she felt it fully, and recognized for what it was. Excitement. She tried to contain her grin.

Behind her, Jasper sat staring at her back, and then tilted his head in thought and corner of his mouth raised in an almost-smile.

The professor paused to look at his roaster, "The next person would be Mr. Cullen?"

000

Driving home, Leah pondered about the day. They left the campus almost at seven in the evening, and yet, the day seemed to pass ridiculously fast and she felt fully energized.

The breaks between classes were long and gave them some time to stroll around the campus and page over their textbooks. Most times, she did not want to start another argument with Jasper, so she followed him around to library and small parks. At first she did so with clenched fists angry that he took over the lead. But after a while she realized that he was really trying to find places that were empty of students and crowds.

She wondered why.

First she though the he was more at ease when he did not smell humans too much. It was annoying to her, to smell the abundance of cosmetics, body oils and sweat, mixed with the heavy fumes of fast food.

_As a vampire_, she mused, _this must hurt his sense of smell_. But other reason also came to her mind. _Was he afraid that his self-control would waver? _She observed him in her classes. He usually chose seats that were far away form the rest of her classmates.

He did not object her sitting somewhere near him, in a seat several steps from his. She never chose, however, a place directly next to his. She wondered how would he react, _He probably would take his things and move away form me,_ the bitter sobriety of her mind suggested.

Despite his choice for solitude, he did not show any signs of poor control or blood rage. He did not stare at humans or smell them. Really, he almost mixed well with the crowd.

_Almost_.

She had not pay attention before, because she was used to vampires and rarely saw them among crowds of regular human beings. But Jasper, regardless how much he wished to be one of them, stood out among people. His perfect skin, pearly-pale and bright Grey eyes were not the only give away. His tall stance and muscular body almost screamed at others 'I am the essence of beauty.'

Each of his moves was so graceful that almost indecent in its allure.

Even when he did not try or cared, even when he tried to conceal his physique with ripped jeans and t-shirts, people could not stop staring at him. She felt the lingering gazes that people send toward him. Some smiled and some only glazed over his body, but most of them noticed him.

His performance in the public speaking class was a great example. He did not rehearse or prepare anything in advance. Quite opposite, he just stood up and smiled lightly saying, "Well, hello. My name is Jasper." She was amazed at the quality f his vice, it became careless and light, "I am not that interesting really. Don't have many hobbies, but I like to read." She smiled sympathetically, and every girl in the room along with few guys smiled back at him in encouragement. _If they only knew_, Leah though.

"I guess that's all." He balanced at the balls of his feet, and looked expectantly at the instructor. "Very well, Jasper. Who's next?" Although the professor moved on to the next person, many eyes lingered on Jasper for the rest of the class.

_He, indeed, made amazing first impression. On humans, that is_, Leah thought.

000

This was how Leah remembered him form their first day. Standing in the lobby of the library, crowding students behind him, people speaking on their cell phones, groups of giggling girls passing by. And Jasper, not even looking at the world surrounding him, perfect in his form and every movement.

He stood there for a minute before deciding to take a staircase to the fifth floor where he would sit reading a random book he found among the stacks of the section "Ancient Jordan." And somewhere between these moments she really saw him, perhaps for the first time in her life, for what he was. A man, of beauty so divine it took her breath away.

She tried not o think of him that way. It was stupid, she though, _I probably was just hungry or something. _Although her reasoning made little sense, she accepted it for the lack of better argument.

000

On the way home, he again, did not say a word. And she reciprocated with silence. What was to say? She turned on the music, and chose a local radio station. He did not react, she did not ask for his preferences. The atmosphere between them turned less tense for some reason, both of them busy with their own thoughts. Reaching Forks, she finally felt tired. Hungry and uncomfortable in her seat, she imagined the soft sheets and her bed.

The end of the Cullens' driveway was bright with lights seeping from the windows. She stopped her car. "Well," it was strange to hear her own voice after such a stretch of silence, "we are up for tomorrow at eight?" She pulled her hands behind her back to stretch a little.

He nodded without looking at her and pulled at a door handle. Ready to leave, he stopped, "Do you want me…" he did not finish but looked at her as if listening to something, "Would you like me to drive tomorrow?"

Leah froze. This time his voice was direct and perfectly polite. And this was the first time she heard him speaking to her, not shouting, snarling, or arguing with her, but politely speaking.

"Yeah…sure?" She spluttered almost intelligibly. He nodded and left the car leaving the girl in a state of a little shock. He made a point of gently closing the doors.

Leah took a deep breath and started the car, _Okay, the first day down_.

000

A/N: Did I mention that I _really_ like reviews?


	8. Chapter 8

_**Beta: BalckwaterLove (the Great)**_

_**The Change, Chapter 8**_

"_The Sense of Smell."_

The second day was equally awkward as the first one. In the morning when Leah arrived at the Cullen's house, Jasper was not waiting for her. Hesitantly she exited the car and knocked at the front door. "It's open!" Esme's voice reached her.

Morning light made the house seem almost cozy for her wolfish senses. Bright hall and yellow-white kitchen were filled with morning air. Singing birds could be heard through the open windows and light breeze moved the window curtains. And yet, the picture perfect home gave her an eerie feeling and raised bumps on her skin.

The house seemed too still. The smell of dead flowers lingered inside despite open windows. _It was strange_, she thought, as she did not notice much of that scent around Jasper. He did have a smell, of course, but his was less pronounced. Or perhaps reminded her less of the vampire community.

_There was something about vampires together that heightened the scent of death_, she mused, _kind like with teenage boys. Seth did not smell, well usually, but when he and his friends got together after playing baseball for two hours, Seth's room distinctively reeked of the teenage boys, ugh_.

The kitchen seemed still, like a pretty picture in a magazine. Yet, there was no food or morning cheerio scattered around the counter top, no random coffee cups on the table. The kitchen was as artificial as life in vampires.

"Oh, Leah, how lovely to see you!" Esme appeared out of nowhere. Leah blinked and focused on relaxing he shoulders.

"Hi, Esme." There was reluctance in her voice, but Esme did not pay attention. "You don't mind me waiting here for Jasper do you?" Her voice was perky and too loud for the large house. She kept smiling broadly, her face frozen in a determined grimace.

"He's getting ready. Should be here any moment now."

"Well, we have classes so we need to get going soon…" Leah let her voice trail as she turned around toward the entrance. "I better be going." Esme's smile faltered as Leah continued, "Could you let him know I will be waiting in the car?"

Her hand was touching the door handle, when she heard, "Please don't go yet!" Esme took a careful step to Leah, her hand raised in the air. Leah looked at her expectantly.

"Would you like some coffee? Or perhaps breakfast?" Esme smiled again, as she took her hand together in front of her chest looking as if ready to sing _The Sound of Music_. "Did you like you're lunch from yesterday?"

Leah blinked.

"Seth told me you loved salmon, so I thought that some smoked salmon with cream cheese would make a perfect lunch for you."

"Right." Leah did not admit that she threw it away as soon as she arrived to the campus. "Yes, Esme, it was delicious."

There was a something off about Esme. Leah looked at her face carefully. The woman was breathtaking. Small features and delicate body wrapped in sweet demeanor. When she smiled, she did resemble July Andrews, and when she moved, her body danced in soft curves spreading around the aura of femininity and care.

But her attempts at care too disconnected from reality to be true. She seemed tied to her empty house, and Leah have never seen her outside the house. Esme, the maternal figure to the household, living the life of Stanford housewives, Esme, who dedicated decades of her empty life to this mock of family.

Esme smiled, "I happy you liked it," her eyes sparkled with excitement, "I know I did not ask before, but I made you another lunch, do you mind?" The attentiveness in her voice made Leah vary, "Oh, I know you must think of me strange, but I really find pleasure in cooking."

Leah stood ready to decline the offer. It was creepy and purely wrong for her as a wolf to be fed by a vampire. Her pride would not allow for that.

But then again, Esme stood in front of her, in the middle of this empty quiet house. She wore a white apron tidily wrapped around her blue dress, her smile somehow desperate for acceptance. In this moment, Leah felt sad. Perhaps a little grateful, but mostly overwhelmed by how the vampire tried to play out her dreams of warmth and motherly affections. _Fuck the pride,_ "Sure. Thank you for the thought."

Esme beamed. Her new lunch smelled of Canadian bacon and fresh tomatoes. Leah smiled as politely as she could with a neat lunch bag in her hand.

Esme kept smiling.

The silence between them slowly grew awkward.

000

"I am ready, Esme." Jasper's voice rezoned in the house.

_Thank gods_, thought Leah. "I'm parked right outside," she looked up at Jasper descending the stairs and stammered.

And then her mind went blank.

She always knew that vampires were abnormally beautiful, and that they move in a less clumsy way than the majority of the human population. Or that their behavior tunes itself to become the most sexually entrancing and alluring to any human. It was easy to accept as a simple an evolutionary adaptation, like wings in birds or opposable thumb in primates.

Jasper, however, took this all to a whole different level. His bright skin sparkling only lightly in the morning sun, like pearls shimmering their beauty. Clothes, which on anyone else would pass only as average, highlighted his frame to maximum.

His movements, precise and balanced in his masculinity, carried specific sense of focus as he approached her. Staring at her as if nothing else existed, he stopped just a step from her.

Leah was at awe of his beauty.

"I hoped we would take my car. It's easier to navigate on these roads." He spoke, "have a good day, Esme."

And then he walked right past her, opened the doors, and left leaving Leah behind.

And Leah stood there for a fraction of a second, motionless. Because if he decided to pounce on her at this moment, and to rip the veins of her neck apart, she probably would do nothing. She probably would stand there staring at his golden eyes, hoping he would look at her for a second longer.

The sound of an engine awaked her. She shook her head like a wet dog.

_Fuckin' vampires_, she thought and walked out of the house, _reflecting light so it blinds people_. _I couldn't even see straight. Next time, I better stand with my back to light, there is no way he could blind me then_.

000

Jasper's car was not what she really expected. While Jacob was telling them the tales of Rosalie's red Lamborghini and Edward's silver Volvo, Leah expected something truly overpriced and shiny, and that had little utility among snowfalls in Washington. Surprised, she recognized Prius for what it was, a three-year-old white car with heavy scratches on a right fender.

Jasper was sitting inside, his hands holding the steering wheel. She entered the car carefully, and observed his knuckles becoming even whiter. She stopped her movements.

"Please, sit." His voice was surprisingly polite, but he did not say anything else.

Once inside, she placed her bag and lunch on the back seat, careful of not touching him during her maneuvers. Strapping the seat belts, she noticed Esme standing in the front doors. She did not smile, just stared. Leah was sure she also forgot to breath.

Leah waved a little and Esme became animated again. The car moved from the driveway.

000

The classes moved slower that day. Although it was strange to be back to school, every little detail made Leah feel more alive. The assignments and lists of readings, the greatness of the library and crowds of students laughing and talking aloud. She could not get enough of the college atmosphere, heavy with knowledge and at the same time playful and lively. She almost felt that she became a part of that life, almost. Jasper's solemn presence kept her aware of her real purpose here.

He did not argue, he did not start talks. Attentive to her needs, he followed her to the library and computer labs. He avoided any human contact, even as students clearly tried to strike a conversation or get to know him. In classes he always chose an empty row of seats or solitary table to sit at. Yet, he made sure to stay close to Leah.

Even when studying in parks or library, he sat stayed close to her turning his back on others.

And yet, Leah could not help noticing the stares others were giving him. She knew these kinds of glazes, full of desire and interest. With only one of his smiles, he could persuade them to do anything for him, _anything_. She grinded her jaw.

000

The classes for the day passed, with her basis of law class being probably the highlight of her life. Taught by an elderly gentleman dressed in dark blue suit, the class opened the new world to her.

The elements of law, its divisions and sections, so orderly and intricate in their design, grown over decades and enriched by thousands of cases. And yet, offering white spaces and shadowy channels between them to allow anyone with enough knowledge to use them as an everyday tool. She could imagine herself studying and growing, arguing cases and appealing old laws. Her daydreams found a new direction.

The realization grew within her, and when the class was over, she was sure. It was not a childhood dream. Studying law was her adult goal. She tried to keep her excitement down and push it back under her skin. She had to, at least for a while when she proved herself that she was good at it. At least for a while to keep Sue at bay and avoid her questions. A while, that would allow her to balance her life between studying and guarding the silent vampire next to her.

A vampire that watched her right then. She stood up gathering her books. He kept staring. "What?" Her voice was not kind.

He stood up shrugging. Than turned around to stop next to the exit, patiently waiting for her.

000

The way back home was as quiet as the day before. She became sleepy halfway and struggled to stay awake.

"Thank you." His voice awoken her.

"Your welcome?" The vampire was as crazy as the one from the morning.

"For what you did earlier." He did not look at her, "I know you didn't want to take the lunch, I can understand that. Thank you for accepting it, she…" he stopped half way. But to Leah it was the most interesting conversation she has with Jasper since...well, ever.

"She seemed genuine?" She offered and Jasper nodded.

"She is. She just…" he did not finish again, and Leah grew frustrated.

"Desperate?" She clearly had a thing for finishing sentences of others.

"No," he countered slowly, "it's just that she lives to make others feel happy, and the family lately is not very…" he shook his head a little. "She cannot feel the emotions of others and sometimes does not understand them. It makes her anxious. So, if there is any change in the family, she becomes anxious. You being acceptant of her made her feel needed. The family forgets about this sometimes."

Leah nodded in understanding.

"You felt it too, didn't you?" His question has a clear meaning.

When she did not respond he added, "Something within her…it feels like death all over again when she is alone."

"You can feel _her_?"

"I can feel anyone, did not you know?"

She looked at him carefully, "No, I didn't. Can you feel me?"

He did answer, his hands on the steering wheel and his eyes on the road, "I can feel anyone, Leah. Anyone."

She didn't know what say to that.

She knew how it was to feel and hear emotions of the pack. From sexual urges to hunger and rage, she experienced them as they projected all flavors and colors of their feelings. She thought of Esme. How much sadness did _he_ feel just though this one little vampire? At least she could turn it all of when phasing into a human again. She sighted, suddenly tired again. With the end of the conversation, her mind wandered off.

She thought of her home.

000

When she arrived at the house, it was around seven in the evening, and she was there alone. She felt at loss, strangely aware that she missed something important, but not sure what it was. She checked her pockets for ID and credit cards, her keys were in place, and her cell phone was on. And yet, in the quiet emptiness of her house, she felt restless.

_It must be the house_, she thought, _I'm not used to it being so empty…_

Heating the leftovers of her dinner, she read through her notes from Monday's classes. Hoping to calm down her jittery feelings with a warm drink, she found a mug and reached for her favorite brand of tea.

Twenty minutes later, the notebooks lay forgotten around her on the couch. With her pj's soft and old blanked comfy around her body, she sipped warm tea.

The smell of bergamot around her, she dreamed that one day, she would share her feelings with only one person. Somebody to hold and whisper to in the middle of the night. Someone who would touch her hair gently and kissed her skin in her sleep.

Too sleepy to focus, she smiled. Her dreams came next, soft and promising but too unfocused to remember them in the morning.

She kept on dreaming.

000


	9. Chapter 9

_**Beta: BlackwaterLove (the Great, as we all know it)**_

A/N: Thank you all who read and reviewed the story. I figure if you are still reading it at this point, it must be because you are either (1) so bored tat you read anything or (2) you kinda' like the story. Either or, thank you for staying with me:)

_**The Change, Chapter 9**_

"_Daily Routine."_

Several days passed, and each day became so similar to another that it was easy to loose perception of time. She really started to live from Tuesdays to Thursdays counting days between her favorite classes. The brakes between lectures and study sessions were filled with studying and designing essays and speeches.

The daily academics with the vampire and weekend runs though wild forests with several wolves became the keystones of her life.

And although it was mundane and tiring at times, Leah enjoyed every minute of her new routine. She could not explain why coming back to school affected her so much, but there was an obvious change in how she felt about her life.

There was a light somewhere there at the end of her journey, happy and bright like the sun.

Coming back to school was bliss, she often wondered, but it also was a major change within her routine. She now lived her life following specific steps, bound by class time and deadlines of her homework. Every day, she walked up and eating her breakfast granola bars, she drove to the Cullens.

Remembering the first day, she made point of getting out of her car and talking to Esme for a few minutes. Then she would accept and thank for the lunch Esme always prepared for her, one that she learned to eat instead discarding. The discovery of the content of her daily lunch bag became something she grew to cherish, funny really. Like a kid trying to find a new puzzle in a cheerio box. She learned pretty fast that Esme was a wonderful chef, with no dish repeating over the past two weeks. Rather, she Leah now indulged in French pastry and little strawberry salads, courtesy of Esme's attempts at a real friendship with the wolf.

Her newly awakened happiness did not go unnoticed. Seth smiled like a kid every time he saw her studying and humming some silly tunes under her breath. He then would sit next to her and pull out his textbooks working on his homework. It was strange really, how much he wanted to be a part of her life. She wondered whether is was their animal nature that forced on them the desire to be a part of a larger pack, to belong and be accepted. Regardless of his motives, his eyes shone joy and childish enthusiasm. How could she not accept that?

And she was not the only one who started to change; Jasper too became affected. _It had to be school_, she mused as she though of it. He did not change much, after all no vampire changes fast. It was subtle and almost unnoticeable, but as she had grown more vigilant to him over time, she also noticed gradual reshaping of his habits and moods.

Jasper almost…relaxed, she thought. With his posture as statuesque as always, and his motions as certain in each gesture as usual, there was still something new to him. Perhaps because he ceased gripping the steering wheel with the force that whitened his knuckles; perhaps because he stopped controlling his every grimace when around her… or perhaps he just relaxed somehow. She wasn't really sure, but somehow, she felt that the level of animosity between them slightly went down. Not completely, of course, she was still a wolf assigned to keep him within the grasp of his family, and he was still the same brooding bloodsucker she met just several weeks before.

And yet, they become comfortable enough to exchange a comment or even a sentence throughout a day. Without unnecessary politeness or expandable pleasantries, they slowly learned each other. And it also became part of the routine for Leah. Like eating and studying daily, she learned how to _be_ around him.

000

The classes grew on her even more, she slowly adjusted to their requirements. Enjoying some of her courses more than others, she slowly studied and became better day-by-day. She did well in English and had to control her strength in her exercise class. She disliked astronomy.

She excelled at public speaking, drawing an extraordinary pleasure in being in a center of interest in _that_ way. Possibly to her natural bossiness or years of being beta of their pack, she enjoyed talking and forcing others to consider her views. She basked in the excitement that she felt afterwards. When speaking, she let herself speak slowly and accented each word with passion.

Tall and exotic, everyone paid her attention, even the vampire. Mostly the vampire, she noticed, as he stared at her then for long moments after each of her classroom speeches. And every time, his staring raised the hair on her skin.

"Stop that," she said once catching him looking at her.

He turned around packing his books and walking toward the doors.

What was she to say to that? She ignored the eerie feeling in her.

His waiting for her, quietly and patiently after each class was also a daily practice. Not leaving without her, he grew used to be aware of where she was in a classroom, how fast she walked, when she liked to eat. She would not admit but she found it somewhat…thoughtful. Considerate almost, if vampires could be considerate

People rarely stopped her or him, but their eyes kept lingering on them. Jasper usually walked on her right side, matching her step. She noticed that he stayed closer to her when others were around, as if uneasy about the presence of people.

000

"Today, you will exchange a short personal argument to your classmates. Please sit in groups of four." The instructor addressed the class, "You will receive your topics, and each group member will have 10 minutes to present their argument on the case."

Leah looked around the class trying to catch Jasper's eyes. He seemed unperturbed by the prospect of working with anyone, his face pleasantly blank. Sitting close to him, she scooted even closer to establish that the two of them were in one group.

"You will need two other group partners, Ms. Clearwater," the professor walked by and gestured to two other students to join us.

Among the rattle and chaos of people rearranging their seats, she looked carefully at the pair that dragged their chairs toward them. They were both around twenty, dressed in summer clothes and innocent looking. At east the girl was.

She was smiling widely at Jasper when approaching, excited glint in her eyes only accentuated by the sway of her hips. Dressed in small sundress and flip-flops, she sat close to Jasper and flipped her long hair. Leah growled inwardly. The guy, like the girl, was a typical college kid, bold and silly, wrapped in his youth but fully naïve. He smiled, and threw himself on the chair, "So, what's up dudes?" Jasper blinked, Leach did not even try to hide her snicker.

"So, my name is Lydia," the girl announced," I think we should just read the topic he gave us and divide which stands we are taking, right?" She took a piece of paper the instructor handed to them and read, "Topic: Immigration Law. Should police have the authority to inspect documents if illegal immigration is suspected?" She looked around and became uncomfortable for some reason.

"So," the dude guy took over, "how do we divide? It's really, like, whatever. So, I can take any side." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Me too." The girl added looking at Leah.

"There are only two sides guys. How about we divide to two groups to prepare the argument and then exchange them?" Leah said and the three of them nodded. She turned to Jasper and opened her mouth to add something, but Lydia already jumped in.

"Yeah, so, Jasper, you will stay with me and Leah, it was Leah, right?" she asked but did not wait for any answer, "so you go with Mark." Mark did not mind, as he flashed Leah smile saying something that sounded like "Sweet."

Lydia placed her hand on Jasper arm and smiled, "Ready Jasper?" She sweetly looked in his eyes bending her neck to face him. Leah noticed Jasper eying the skin of the girl's throat, tense and uncomfortable. His movements were forcefully slow and his fists clenched and unclenched slowly under the table.

"Are you guys going to be fine?" She said loudly but looking only at Jasper.

He did not say anything, only nodded.

Lydia, moving around to find her notes, started speaking again. "So, you know, since you are Hispanic and all, I will let you defend the argument, right?" She smiled and Leah's anger flared. The girl looked around at the stunned group members, "What, somebody has to defend it and I really have good arguments here." She flipped her hair around and Leah clenched her teeth, _Little ignorant twit_.

Leah took a copy of the assignment and sat next to the dude guy.

At the table next to them, Lydia was saying something rapidly but Jasper did not pay attention to her. He stared at Leah. Leah looked back.

And in this moment, she felt a wave of coolness taking over her.

It was hard to describe, but later she would think of it as a wave of crisp and minty air that went though her body like a gust of wind.

She blinked in surprise. Jasper smirked.

And then, the cool sensation went away leaving her with her previous feelings, agitation, worry, and annoyance. Jasper turned to Lydia pretending to pay attention.

"Don't worry, Lydia is like that." The dude started talking not noticing anything. "Last year she changed a room in the dorm because she didn't want to share it with a Russian girl. She was afraid of Russian mafias." He laughed loudly and even the corned of Leah's lips cracked despite anger.

000

"All right, everyone!' The professor voice boomed over the surprise Leah felt. "You are to start now. Please sit in you groups and share your stance on the topic. Remember, you need to talk for about five to ten minutes!" While everyone in class was trying to straighten their notes and arrange sitting, the instructor continued, "I will be walking around the class and take notes on your arguments. Start now!"

Leah looked at Mark, Mark looked at Leah and smiled, "What, you will be great!"

"Me? We didn't even prepare." Leah was growing annoyed.

"So? Chill out it's only a group assignment. Anyway, this teacher never fails anyone. Really, even if we don't do anything, we got C in class, so it is okay. " Leah did not comment. She felt like strangling the dude with her bare arms.

000

"So Jasper and I thought that we should go first."

Leah looked at Jasper, he stared at Lydia with his signature blank face.

"So, I'll start, right?" Lydia searched for some kind of confirmation in his eyes as she smiled lightly, but did not find any. Jasper just shrugged, "Sure."

"So, our argument is that the police must protect people." She looked at everyone to get their attention.

_What a start_, Leah thought with irony, she smirked at Jasper. Lydia continued.

"Emigrants tend to take over the jobs of the American Citizens. While everyone has the right to work, it's the responsibility of the government to protect its citizens. Considering that we are in economic recession," Lydia referred to her notes, "state and federal governments should institute any means of protecting the legal residents of this country. As such, police inspection should be encouraged in order to identify and remove them from our country." Lydia smiled. Throughout the speech, Jasper did not look up staring at his hands.

Lydia brought her chin up in challenge, "What is your riposte?"

"Well," the annoyance in Leah only motivating her to bit a piece of her opponents, "As you eloquently stated, police must protect people." Her voice steady as always when she went into an argument, "Not intimidate, _protect_. Our argument against giving the police to right to check for illegal residency has two parts."

She brought one finger up, "First of all, if illegal residents are afraid that police officers could deport them from the country, they will never contact police forces for any type of emergency."

"And now imagine, a raped girl who does not report the rape because she could be deported; a mother who does not call police on a gang that abuses her children in school because she is afraid that entire family will be forced to leave the country; an witness of a car accident who does not call for emergency, afraid of what police can do to him."

"Knowing illegal immigrants are afraid of police, gangs will be the first to abuse the immigrant groups, forcing women prostitution, and demanding for families to pay for their silence. In other words, what you are proposing is simply a crime-breeding machine designed to abuse human rights." She looked around, noticing Jasper's eyes on her.

"The second reason would be that the poor immigrants who come to this country are usually the labor force behind the majority of products you use. They actually do not take away white-collar jobs, they agree to be paid almost nothing and perform the most mundane tasks. Most of these jobs do not interest the U.S. citizens, who would not accept a pay below the minimum wage. This uneducated and oppressed people are the core of our economy. They are the building block of this country, like your predecessors were hundreds years ago. "

She took a deep breath, "_And as such_," she clearly mocked Lydia, "we should not intimidate them or take their basic human rights away. We should encourage them and offer them chances to work, create families, and support our economy."

She smiled and her dude partner excitedly added, "Yeah, that's right!"

Lydia looked pissed with her mocking. Jasper smiled. For the first time, he actually looked at her with true smile.

And Leah could not stop the joyous feeling that immediately grew in her chest.

000


	10. Chapter 10

_Beta: BlackwaterLove_

_A/N: Big hugs to everyone who reviewed. You make me smile!_

The Change, Chapter 10

"_The Changes."_

"Outstanding performance, Ms. Clearwater." The professor approached her after class. She stood up as the rest of her classmates started packing and left the classroom.

"Thank you, professor," she still felt the excitement from the argument as she hanged her bag on her shoulder and turned around to look for Jasper.

"I noticed that you enjoy public debates," Leah turned her attention back on the professor, "Would you be interested in joining the Washington University debating club?"

"Well, I don't know. I drive here everyday and…"

"No rush making your decision. The club is composed on undergraduate and graduate students, who enjoy building their communication and public speaking skills. Several times a year we join the state and interstate debates. Other than that, we just argue a lot during our practices." He laughed at his corny joke. "But seriously, Ms. Clearwater, students who are with the club, usually practice and master their skill for some reason. Sometimes it is just pleasure, and sometimes they have other goals in mind."

"Like lawyers?"

"Future lawyers, perhaps politicians, public commentators…really anyone who has any public interest should join us, mostly students as talented as you are."

Her face burned with the complement, "I will think about it. Thanks professor!"

On her way out, she almost forgot that right by the doors she would meet her vampire.

But indeed, Jasper stood patiently, waiting for Leah like for a friend. Without looking at him, she kept walking. "Sorry you had to wait, are you ready for library?" She addressed him still thinking of her professor's offer.

000

"You know, I agree with you."

Leah looked up from her textbook. They were sitting in the corner of library on the fifth floor. Far from windows and direct light, the place was usually empty. Surrounding them bookshelves were filled with research data archives and academic journals from the years 1943-1965, making the place even less attractive for any normal student. In other words, the little corner of the library was a perfect place of studying for a wolf girl and vampire.

"Agree with what?" She was in the middle of analyzing the meaning of the words 'I imagine that yes is the only living thing' written by EE Cummings.

"Your stance on immigration." He looked at her intensely, and she was certain he was trying to read her emotions. "I didn't choose to argue against you, it was this…Lydia creature who pulled me with her." The tone of voice was almost defensive, "I wanted you to know that."

"Why?"

"You care about that."

"And you _care_ what I care about?"

He stopped talking staring at her again, "Why you think I am lying?" he finally said.

"Jasper," this was perhaps the first time she used his name, "I know what you think about me. About the tribe and the others."

"I was there when you talked about how stupid and undereducated we are. _Just a wolf_, remember?" She put away her book and faced him with resignation, "I know you have your prejudices and I, frankly, have mine. Lets just try to get along, no sweet nonsense necessary." She went back to her reading.

Jasper didn't say anything for a while. He didn't even read or study, he just stared into space.

000

They didn't speak much for the next day or two. Jasper busy with his thoughts seemed attentive only to classes. He insisted on driving, as usual, and Leah did not mind, as she usually slept or studied during the drive to and from school.

Her studies, although successful so far, were the constant source of frustration to her. If not the breaks between classes and drive time that she committed to reading and preparing for assignments, she had truly little time for academics.

Seth started working for Jerry, and too became overwhelmed with school and job. So Leah started keeping closer eye on him, making sure to spend at least an hour or two with her little brother each day. Of course, the brother was not so little any more, with phasing into his giant wolf self every several nights. Yet, his fourteen-year-old heart sometimes seemed childish and immature, and Leah could do nothing but love him even more.

Seth, despite wolfish nature, reminded her more of good domestic dog. And not in any derisive sense, really. He was attentive and committed to his family, silly at times but sensitive to anyone whom he loved. And above all, he was patient. Instead of fighting, he listened and observed, instead of commanding, he persisted at his choices. This made him the most irresistible person she knew.

This also made him the most observant and perceptive person she knew. _Yet_, she thought, _sometimes even Seth was off with his assumptions. _

000

Jasper was driving again and she already re-read her notes for the quiz twice. By now, she was fully familiar with the historical background of and all basic concepts they have covered so far in the class. She put her notes back to her green messenger bag, and looked at the road. They were passing though large patches of forests.

She thought of the previous evening when she and Seth phased. It was late, around eleven in the evening, but she felt restless and her body was on edge like it was missing something important. "This must be because you don't run that much. You should wolf yourself more than on weekends."

So she did. In the darkness, she jumped naked from her window to land in the grass as a wolf. She sped to the forest feeling Seth closely behind her. She felt the rush of wind and the strength of her body. She felt happy.

_So good to have you around, you know?_ Seth was catching up with her, she noticed.

_Well, we are the same genes, sister, what do you expect_, he laughed in her head.

And it felt good. To be herself, give in to the instincts she carried in her body, but which she had to block throughout the day

Seth followed quietly, busy with observing her thoughts.

_Hey, but off kiddo! _She did not really mind, there was no thing to hide anymore.

_Well, sister, I don't know_, Seth responded but this time with a note of humor.

_Oh really, and what do you see, o mighty mind-reading brother? Secret boyfriends? Plans of the world destruction? _

Seth did not respond. Instead he slowed down, and she stopped to look at him, _What? _Now even she was curious. His mind, when set on reading or observing her was hard to decipher. But she felt his…what was it, confusion?

_You…don't hate him…you almost like him. _

_Who?_

_Jasper._

_You crazy?_

_No, seriously, I don't feel… When you attacked each other in the house, after that you felt hatred and disgust._ _I remember because it was quite…strong._ He walked to her, his nose touching her neck, _Now, there is no hate._

_So you say I am his friend him now?_ She mocked but realized he was on to something. She also had to admit it was strange. She kept grudges for years. Shit, she was famous for keeping grudges.

_No, you are not friends, hell I see your memories, _he wolfishly smiled_, but you don't hate him either. You…tolerate him. At least this is how you feel to me. _

Leah looked in his eyes and then at the sky, _I don't know, Seth. I just don't…It's not that I like to tolerate him, but he didn't cause any harm so far. In fact he has a better grip on things that I expected. _

_What do you mean?_

_He, well, he tenses when someone touches him, but that's it. He interacts with humans but stays clear of them when possible. He studies and goes to classes. _

_He really is the most boring person I have known._ She added after a while.

_Boring? _Seth laughed again,_ You know that he is like a super-solider? Like he was born in seventeen hundreds and fought the Civil War and then lead legions of vampires. _

_Oh, c'mon. And this was when, over a century ago! As far as I am concerned he is a domesticated husband to the little vampire and a weirdo. _

_Well, according to gossips, she left him. So, maybe this is where the weirdness comes from. But, really, Leah, he is not a bore. _

Leah looked at the sky, _Whatever._

_Still, admit: Leah Clearwater, the werewolf extraordinaire does not mind to have a vampire around. _He laughed, _The world as we know it over! _He bumped her with his nose and took off. It was a clear call for chasing him, and Leah obliged. Why not?

The kiddo clearly needed a lesson for his silliness.

000

It was Friday.

It was late. They had to finish a library assignment and it took them longer than usual due to the commuter virus that took over the library computers. When they were finally done, Friday evening festivities overtook the campus.

Students were walking and laughing trying to enjoy the last days of warm weather. The sound of someone's guitar, along with heavy blues coming from the local bar mixed in the air. The restaurants served fried food and beer, with crowds of young people sitting outside or just strolling around in small groups and talking to their friends.

The darkness disrupted only by small street lamps and colorful lights of restaurants gave the campus strange intimacy.

A kissing couple stood in the middle of the street, people cheering them. Someone drunkenly sang Love Me Tender. Leah laughed quietly, _what a wonderful evening…_

A night like that called for a leisurely walk outside in the companion of someone loved or at least a good friend. Someone you could hold on to or kiss slowly.

Among the crowds of students, the amazing ambiance of the night, and flirtatious stares that girls were giving him, Jasper just walked as if not affected by his surroundings. Walking with Jasper though this night was…awkward. She felt his eyes on her sometimes, but never caught him looking at her. His solemn presence made her self-conscious.

Walking to the parking lot, they passed the village restaurants and bars strolling along a narrow bridge. The air became quieter now. Jasper slowed his steps. Leah looked at him expectantly.

"Look, I didn't mean what I said that night with Rose. I was angry ..." He started but stopped. His body tensed as a group of people emerged on the other side of the narrow passage. They were obviously little drunk, their laugh overly loud. One of the guys swayed as he walked, cursing loudly. He tried to walk fast though the bridge, and yet, his swagger caused him to loose balance.

Almost falling down, he bumped into Leah. She tensed, and the guy straightened up unnaturally. He grinned, "Oh, hello, beautiful…lovely night, right?" She tried to back out form his embrace, but with only the railings behind her she had little room. Instead she shook him off, and pushed him away.

The guy bumped into one of his drunk friends laughing loudly, "Hey girl, I mean no harm!" He shouted as he tried to approach her again. With his hand reaching toward her, he took a large step forward almost grasping at her blouse.

But caught nothing. Surprised with the empty air in his hand, he drunkenly asked "Girl?" And then, the groups of his loud friends swallowed him among laughs and dirty songs. The group moved on toward the bars, Leah and Jasper forgotten behind.

000

The drunken fellow was trying to reach for her, and she felt panic. She did not want to strike him or bring attention to them. Instead she froze in panic for a moment. She remembered his hand getting closer to her, smelling with fried fish and tequila. She remembered a moment of panic.

And then, well…then she found herself standing next to the bridge, hidden from the prying eyes by a bush of wild roses. Jasper stood next to her, his hands on her arms yet barely touching her skin.

"You all right?"

She nodded, "You shouldn't have to, it was okay, " she stared but did not finish.

Something was wrong about this situation, so unnatural it screamed at her; and yet, her conscious mind could not grasp at the message.

She felt his face close to her, the coolness of his body invading her senses.

She could smell his skin. She became aware of the scent that was _him_, deep beneath the wilted lilies and brown sugar that she could smell first. It was not only the subtle smell of Jasper, the vampire. Rater she realized it, it was the smell of Jasper, the man.

The bergamot and sandalwood so delicate she had to get closer to the skin of his neck to distinguish the smell form the scent of the wild roses.

But being so close had its risks. She smelled him, his sex and masculinity had its own scent, so intimate, so sensual. She stopped her breath.

"Right," she said too loudly and stepped back form him, "Thank you?" She actively avoided his eyes, certain he could see her blush. She walked fast, back toward the road.

He did not say anything more that night, simply following her. Yet, the drive back home, with his smell predominant in the car made her feel it again.

A small sphere of heat, like slow arousal, burned somewhere down in her belly.

Jasper stared at the road.

000


	11. Chapter 11

_**The Change, Chapter 11**_

Beta: The always great BlackwaterLove

A/N: As you noticed, I divide sections of each chapter with quite primitive looking "000". Any ideas how to make a nice line/divider? Every time I try in MS Word, it disappears once posted into ff. Very annoying!

"_So Wrong."_

As soon as Jasper stopped his car on the driveway, she almost ran out of it. The strap of her bag looped against the safety belt clasp but she did not stop to untangle it, she pulled hard. There was a soft sound of ripping fabric and all her books, along with loose notes and pencils felon the floor of the car. Leah froze.

Her notes from the literature class were currently being gathered by Jasper, slowly one by one. He bent and reached for her chopstick that landed at his feet. He looked at it strangely and brought to his nose sniffing lightly. Leah stared.

"Strawberry?" He tried to act playfully to relieve the tension between them, but his behavior only added to her edginess. For some reason, his attempts made her feel trapped.

She stepped out of the car and shut the door fast. She wanted to leave and never comeback, at least not for the next…thirty years? Thirty years should be enough to forget what had happened between them back on the bridge and now in the car. She walked fast toward her old Corolla, her thorn bag limply hanging in her hand.

"Leah?" Esme chose this very moment to open the front door, "Leah are you all right?" Despite her young appearance, Esme acted as if she was forever frozen in her sixties. She now looked worried fingering a pink dishtowel between her hands.

"No, Esme, everything is okay. It's just late and I should be going home." She tried not to look at the occupant of Prius.

"Well, I hoped…You know, we are so grateful…"Esme smiled her most charming smile, and Leah noticed the vampire wore light makeup and a nice dress. She definitely looked ready for an elegant evening.

"Carlisle and I hoped you would join us for a dinner tonight. " Leah's mouth opened to produce a quick excuse, but Esme was faster, "I already arranged everything with Jacob, he will take over your patrol tonight."

Leah stood somewhat dumbfounded.

"I hope you forgive me my forwardness, but we truly wanted to have you for dinner tonight." The invitation was sincere and Leah felt that any form of decline would either offend or simply sadden Esme.

"I would love to, Esme, but I am not sure…?" She looked down at her clothing. Today she wore a loose white cotton top with tattered skinny jeans. Her attire was completed by a tribal necklace and pair of old flip flops. Hardly comparable to Esme's dark blue fitted number and beige heels.

"Oh, darling," Esme beamed realizing she persuaded Leah to her plan, "You have nothing to worry about! You look beautiful in whatever you wear." Esme urged Leah to come inside, her smile persisting. "Your youth and life are all you need to make you breathtaking, Leah," she talked as she led Leah to the living room.

The room was dimly illuminated with candlelight. Tall candles stood on the fireplace and coffee table softening the modern edges of the room. Carlisle was already there, along with Emmett and Rosalie. They were all sitting comfortably in the plush chairs and sofas, their skin almost golden in the lights of candles. They looked _almost_ alive.

"Hello, Leah. You have to forgive me for not letting you know in advance, but Esme really wanted to surprise you," Carlisle offered with sympathy in his eyes.

"Well, I have to admit, she succeeded." Leah looked around feeling Rosalie's eyes on her.

"Anything to drink?" Esme entered the room carrying a bottle of water and several glasses. Leah sat in a chair close to Carlisle, "Yes, a glass of water would be great."

Four vampires stared at her, Leah drank her water slowly. She stopped with the glass still at her mouth. "Hey, guys, please stop. When you stare at me like that it really makes me rethink the meaning of the phrase _We would love to have you for dinner._"

Emmett laughed loudly and Carlisle smiled, "Sorry Leah, it is that we rarely guest others."

"Well, not that she mentions that, we could _have her_ for dinner," Emmett kept laughing, and earned a swat on his arm from Esme, "Emmett! This is not funny, don't scare her."

"I would rather not. Really, I doubt that wolves are eatable." Rosalie sighted with solemn face and scrunched her nose in disgust.

"Well, Rosie, you may not be a fan, but I know someone who would not mind to try…" Emmett ducked form Esme, a conspiratory smile on his handsome face as he nodded his chin at Leah.

"What?" Rosalie jumped shocked, and Emmett raised his hands to the air in an innocent gesture, "Just sayin'." Rosalie stared at him with her eyes opened wide.

Leah felt that she clearly missed some points of the exchange. She frowned and opened her mouth to ask Emmett what he meant, but in this moment Jasper appeared in the doors.

"Emmett." He commanded sharply, and Emmett froze. Jasper looked at him with dark eyes, the blankness of his face too controlled to be casual. Emmett smiled apologetically at Jasper, "Hey, bro! We only talk about the dinner."

"Oh, Jasper, you are here!" Esme took over the conversation. "So now we are all here. Lets start the dinner!"

She clearly tried to avoid something or stir their attention in different direction. Considering that the vampires were not at all interested in the dinner, the conversation stirred around Leah and school. At least this was a relatively safe topic. She avoided mentioning Jasper in her stories, and Jasper stayed silent.

000

Saying that he dinner was a strange experience would be an euphemism. Rather, it was one of the most bizarre experiences of her life.

The vampires, like any other everlasting creature were and not always aware of time. They simply stared at the room smiling. The dining room was illuminated with a low crystal chandelier and side candles placed against the beige walls.

The chandelier, composed of thousands of little crystals, dominated the room hanging merely few feet above a dark dining table. The large mahogany table carried a breathtaking arrangement of silverware and venetian glass, complemented by simple white china.

When Esme invited her to sit, Leah felt that just by entering the room, she disturbed the artful layout of the room configuration.

"Everything is so beautiful, Esme." She had difficulty expressing herself, overwhelmed by the work Esme had to put into the dinner. She slowly sat in a chair, Esme next to her. Rosalie and Emmett at the opposite end of the table, Carlisle at its head. Jasper entered last and quietly took a spot next to Leah.

"Did you know anything about that?" Leah asked him quietly. He was sitting close to her, but careful not to touch. She had to consciously constrain herself from trembling at his nearness.

"No," was all he said, his face unchanged since his entry to the house. "I know better than surprise you, of all people." Leah stared at him, _Was he angry with her or was it his attempt at flirting? _

"I hope you like beef." Esme brought them back to the dinner conversation. And before Leah could answer, Emmett eyed Jasper with sarcastic smile,

"Oh, lets hope she does, right Jasper?"

"Fuck off Emmett," was all that Jasper said, but Emmett became visibly sleepy and lethargic. Smiling and with a relaxed expression on his face, he slumped and on chair. Emmett's arms fell back, his lips drooled, and Jasper smirked.

Rosalie looked furious, "Jasper!" she shouted, "How can you do this?" But Jasper only smiled wider, his eye keep drilling in sleeping Emmett, "It is better this way, Rosalie, I don't need his comments now."

Carlisle and Esme only exchanged stares, but did not intervene. Considering their lack of reaction, Leah though it was a casual banter in the Cullen's family. Yet, there was a dirty meaning in anything Emmett said. It made her uncomfortable suspecting he referred to her and Jasper. She felt her hands sweat.

"Ah, Esme, anything you cook is great." She re-directed her train of thoughts when Esme served her a generous portion of roast meat. It was perfectly juicy and soft in her mouth.

She was the only one with food on her plate, the only one with water in her glass. Her dinner was delicious and yet, it was hard to swallow. Despite

Carlisle questions about school ad Emse fussing over her, Leah did not feel comfortable. She could not stop being aware of Jasper's body next to her. His coolness radiated her heated skin like a magnet drawing her senses to the vampire. She felt Jasper's eyes on her entire time. Rosalie eyed Jasper in angry astonishment.

000

When the dinner was over, Leah thanked Esme for the party and excused herself hurriedly. Emmett was still drooling on the chair in the dining room, Rosalie pointedly left the room immediately after the dinner. Leah accepted an impressive portion of leftovers for Seth and exchanged awkward pleasantries with Carlisle. When finally the doors closed behind her, she shut her eyes on the night and sighted deeply. _What a nightmare_…Her Corolla stood parked nearby, but as she took her first step towards it, _he _stopped her.

Jasper appeared on her side grasping on a cotton shopping bag, "Wait. You forgot your books…" He brought his hand closer to her, but when she moved to take the bag from him, he took it away and momentarily dropped. With a fluid motion, he caught her arm and pulled to him, "Quiet!" He hissed in her ear, "You don't want to alarm them, do you?" She could not see his face, but his voice was cold and sharp. He pulled her body closer to him.

"Stop that," she hissed back trying to free herself. She did not want to fight, but she _had_ to escape him. His touch heated her and made her dizzy, not allowing her to be become angry.

"Let me fucking go, Jasper. What do you thin…" She could not finish. He pressed his hand to her mouth and pulled her body sharply. She felt speed and cold, and then her body was thrown against her car. Hard.

"You will listen to me, and listen me good, Leah," for some reason his body shook and voice broke occasionally. "I don't know what you are doing to me, what is your power, but you need to stop it."

"Stop what?" She tried to muff though his hand. His hand loosened on her lips, and she was aware he only kept to there to rub his fingers in her skin. And even this small rough gesture felt sexual. It aroused her.

"This," he whispered sharply and pushed his hard body on her, his pelvis thrusting into her a little too hard. "You need to tell me what is happening. Tell me!" his lips were next to her ears, "You are taking me over. I feel you and only you. I know you feel me too, Leah." His embrace on her less than innocent as his hand traveled along her ribs to the breasts. Leah's heart sped up, her breathing heavy. She responded to his touch with her lips on his neck. Heat grew inside her, swollen pulse started between her legs. She pushed her hips toward him. He groaned, but managed to whisper sloppy words, "What is that we feel?"

And this few words made her come back to reality., _What exactly…?_ She found her strength, and pushed him away. _This cannot be! This cannot be the_… she could not force herself to say the words.

"This is nothing between us! Nothing, you hear vampire?" She exploded with anger. "This," she gestured at the space between them, "had never took place."

She grabbed the bag from the ground, opened the doors to Toyota, and jumped fast inside. She could not stop thinking of his smell. The taste of his skin. _The shape of his fucking dick_.

She gritted her teeth and sped up. _You have to forget. Forget him_!

000


	12. Chapter 12

_**Beta: BlackwaterLove the Great**_

_**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, they make my day:)**_

_**The Change, Chapter 12**_

"_Family Affairs."_

At five in the morning, the forest at the verge of awakening. Moist air, saturated with fog was cold in his nostrils. Jacob breathed deeply. Seth emerged from the forest and stood next to Jacob.

"So what is that about?" Jacob was not happy with leaving Nessie that morning. Standing in the clearing, he imagined her sleeping, her breathing slow and calm. She always rested with her hands close to her face, the body bent into an embryonic shape. Being with her then, so close he could hear her heartbeat, was strangely the most important part of his life. Perhaps because the imprint, and perhaps because he truly grew to love her, he could not imagine his life without her in it.

Nessie and her parents lived in the small guesthouse on the Cullen's land. It made Jacob a little uncomfortable with the dead smell around him; yet, with Nessie next to him he did not really mind. _Nessie…_

"Jacob?" Seth called the name of his friend, "You with me?"

"Yes Seth," Jacob sighed, "I only don't know why exactly I am here with you at five A.M. I could be with Nessie, you know." He pointed toward the general direction of the Cullen's mansion.

"I know it is my turn patrolling, but there is something…You know, I cant talk about it when you are with the Cullens because it is about them." Jacob's eyes sharpened on Seth's face.

"It is also about Leah."

"Leah? I spoke to her last week, she was fine. She even said that Jasper was doing good." Jacob shrugged but started at Seth expectantly.

Seth did not answer for a moment. He stood among the tall grass, the sun shone fire rays at his face.

"And why did you want me come here as a human? You know, we could have this conversation as wolves, it would be so much easier." Jacob did not look happy with the morning grass leaving spots of water on his clothes.

"Leah, she could hear us." Seth seemed nervous.

"So, what do you want to talk about?"

Seth did not answer directly, "Have you been around her as a wolf lately?"

"Well…No, since there is only few of us, we patrol separately. I haven't phased with any of you in a while, frankly." Jacob wrinkled his forehead as a worrying feeling started to grow within him, "Is she okay?"

"I am not sure, Jacob, she… _changed_."

"Meaning?"

"Leah…" Seth looked at his hands trying to find right words, "Do you know how intense she is about everything? Like when you are phased with her, her emotions are the strongest of the pack? Like her hatred for Sam? Or sorrow? Or when she is happy?"

"Yeah," Jacob answered slowly thinking how easily her emotions were getting to others.

"So, you also know that once she feels something for someone, it does not change easily?"

"Like grudges and shit?"

"Yeah, like that."

"Yeah?" Jacob wondered where this discussion was supposed to go. So far they confirmed what he knew about Leah anyway.

"So, you know how she felt when you asked her to go to school? And she jumped the Jasper fellow?"

Jacob smirked, "Yeah, she almost burned us with her anger."

"Did she like Jasper then?"

"Hell no!" Jacob laughed.

"Well, she likes him now."

"How…?"

"I don't know."

"Did anything happen? Like…I dunno…he saved a life of a puppy or something?" Jacob knew he sounded ridiculous, but he knew for a fact that once Leah set on hating someone, there was no fast change of heart.

"No. Nothing. When we phased together I saw it. I was in her head and they…Jacob they don't even talk, and she…Shit. One day she hates him, week later she only tolerates the guy, and after three weeks she _wants_ him. It is intense. Whatever she feels for him, it is strong. Leah kind of strong."

"What does it mean?" Jacob was dumbstruck.

"I hoped you would tell me."

Jacob and Seth looked at each other.

000

The Sunday came and Seth kept looking at her strangely. He arrived from his night patrol, and she was preparing for her day shift as a local wolf.

"What's up, kiddo?" Setting up the table for him she gestured at the food, "I hope you hungry. For some reason I couldn't sleep so I made early breakfast. Muffins?"

She seemed energized.

"Err… that's cool, Leah." Despite the offer of food, he was reluctant to start on. Last time Leah made her famous muffins, by mistake she sprinkled them with baking powder instead of powdered sugar. He shrugged at the thought.

"No worries, brother. They are flawless, I tried a few myself." She grinned and he looked at the baking rack. Indeed almost half of them were already missing. He raised his eyebrow.

"What," she laughed defensively, "I need my strength for the patrol, you now?" She poured him a glass of cold milk and left the kitchen. Her steps were bouncy, and Seth could swear she sang Elvis Presley under her nose.

OOO

Jasper felt it. He felt it several days now, but now it was becoming annoyingly wrong to feel happiness. His partner of several decades left him without a real reason and without trying to fix their breaking relationship. Carlisle officially lost his faith with him and the rest of the coven did not defend him at all, and finally, five days a week he was followed by an annoying and aggressive wolf.

And then there was clearly something wrong that keep growing between him and her. Too animalistic and too undefined to even admit, he chose to forget it at first. It was only a moment and feeling, a stupid sexual frustration with the wrong woman in it. She was a wolf, an arrogant and spiteful.

And yet…

And yet, he could not stop imagining fucking her and feel excitement of the upcoming hunt.

000

When Jacob arrived back at the Cullen's residence, his steps did not take him back to Nessie. He really wanted to be with her and just hold her warm body to his, but he also has to talk to someone.

What Seth told him really puzzled him. He did not dare to phase knowing that it was Leah's patrolling time. If she knew what Seth has been telling him…well, she did not have to know.

He entered the house smelling for its occupants. With so many vampires, the smell was quite disgusting for his nose. Being the person on a job, the smell did not stop him. He looked for her, and hoped no one else would realize he was here. He wanted to keep this problem as low profile as possible. After all, perhaps Seth was blowing everything out of proportion?

He passed the strangely unused kitchen, and went straight to the living room. There was the person he looked for.

"Hello, Rosalie."

000

She eyed him carefully. It was rare that Jacob addressed her, more, asked for something. She arrived, as he requested at the empty shore, he already waiting for her next large volcanic rocks. She walked slowly toward him, vary of any observers she pulled a silk scarf around her hear.

"What is that you wanted, Jacob?" Her tome of voice clearly suggested annoyance. Jacob turned to her and gesture to her to sit next to him on the rocks.

"It is so lovely to see you again, _Rosalie_. How about we sit and stare at the ocean for a while?" He smirked but his eyes were solemn.

"I am not to play with you here, dog. State what you want, I have little time for you." She pretended not to notice his gesture, but she stepped on the large blocks.

"Ha! As if vampire."

They stayed silent.

"Seriously, Jacob, what is so urgent to get me out of the house in the middle of the day?" The small exchange of politeness ended, and she was business only.

"How is Jasper?" His voice light, as if the question was a part of their tirade, but he did not fool Rosalie.

"Why the question? Is there anything to suggest that he is not well?" She circled around him, the meaning of her words equally unclear.

"You know perfectly what I mean. How _is_ Jasper?" They stared at each other, ocean breaking the waves at their feet.

"What do you know, Jacob?" Her curious voice became sweet and feminine.

"Well, I saw him yesterday, he seemed happy."

"Perhaps he _is_ happy." She retorted.

"Didn't his woman leave him four weeks ago? After decades together he must have suffer tremendously, and yet, he _is_ happy. I am just surprised, you know."

Rosalie looked at the waves. Their foam reached her feet but she did not move.

"What do you know about it, Jacob?"

Jacob stood up, "He changed, didn't he?" Jacob did not wait for an answer, "I only know when I see. She changed too."

Rosalie turned to him, her face angry. The silk scarf blown away by the wind flew away toward the shore, "This should not be fucking possible."

Jacob did not answer. She continued, "Fuck it! Alice saw it. This was why she left, didn't she. Jasper disappear in her visions not because she killed him, but because she took him away from Alice! Motherfucker wolf!" She creamed at the ocean. Jacob listened.

"This has never happened before, you know? Never in our legends or legends of other tribes a vampire and wolf…"

"Is this why they hide from us?"

"Hide?"

"Jasper used to always tell me things. He even told me how he hated her before…you know? And now he hides everything about her. He just looks at her…"She did not finish, her quiet voice breaking on the wind.

"I am not sure that either of them knows." Jacob said and Rosalie looked up sharply at him.

"What do you mean they don't know?"

Jacob shrugged, "I guess they are more scared to realize what is happening between them than us. And look at the two of us, we can't even say it aloud."

The ocean roared, and the waves grew with each moment. And yet, Rosalie and Jacob kept standing and staring at the storm, untouched by the forces of nature, two lonely figures on the wind.

000

Her last habit of the day was tea. She had never liked it before, but now, her sensed buzzed if not satisfied with the smell of bergamot.

"Can a person get addicted to tea, mom?" she asked once.

"No darling, your tea is your choice."

"Even if I cannot sleep if I don't drink one before bed?" Sue looked at her strangely and smiled, "Well, perhaps your body just tells you what you miss."

She shrugged, "So, do you think my body needs any microelements that are in earl gray?"

"Not necessary, sweetheart." Sue smiled, "Perhaps it is what your spirit needs."

Leah stared at the mug in her hands. The liquid inside reflected her eyes and she stared. She breathed over the mug, and the image blurred and disappear.

000


	13. Chapter 13

_**Beta: BlackwaterLove the Great**_

_**The Change, Chapter 13**_

"_I Imagine That Yes Is the Only Living Thing."_

The drive on the following Monday as uncomfortable as she imagined it would be. Jasper did not say a word and avoided her eyes. His fingers wrapped around the steering wheel with too much force. She stared at the road trying to keep her mind blank.

It was rare to have a day free of classes during a week. And yet, it happened. With all Monday classes canceled due to a fake bomb threat, Leah's famous routine laid forgotten. They arrived at the campus as usual, and then right before they approached the Astronomy Building, someone stopped them, "Hey there! Our classes are canceled!"

It was a tall girl, Leah remembered her. The girl often stared at her, and when Leah looked back, she blushed. But this time the girl approached them and smiled, "Yeah, I know, they should let us know earlier."

"No kidding," Leah felt annoyed.

"So, you guys…"the girl picked up the conversation again, "are heading anywhere?" She clearly waited for some kind of invitation to socialize with them. She looked up in Leah eyes and blushed bud did not look away. "I was thinking to catch a late breakfast at Moby's, do you want to join?" She spoke directly to Leah, her eyes on Leah lips.

"We…" Leah was slightly confused as she rarely was the focus of _this _kind of attention when around Jasper.

"I am sorry, we really can't. Leah and I have to head back home." Jasper said abruptly, his voice polite but clipped. The tall girl flicked her eyes between Jasper and Leah and blushed, her face revealing surprise, "Oh, you two are together, I am sorry, " she finally smiled, "I didn't realize."

"However, if you ever want to catch a coffee or something…Just let me know. I am Meg, by the way." She smiled again, and turned around with her face glowing from a blush. "Bye now!" she threw around her shoulder and walked away fast.

Leah turned toward Jasper, "What was that?"

"She was hitting on you," He shrugged.

"Perhaps I didn't mind?"

"You are not into girls, Leah. At least not lately, we both know that."

With this he adjusted the strip of his messenger bag and turned toward the park.

000

The weather was beautiful and the sky clear after a stormy weekend. Aware that they had no excuse to stay around, they walked through the park back to the parking lot.

"Can we stay for a minute?" She already felt uncomfortable around him. Without a particular reason she felt guilty around him, this heavy sensation in her stomach weighing her down. Being in the open space, in an old park, made her more at ease, as compared to the prospect of being with him for almost two hours in the small and hot cabin of his car.

"I would like to sit and eat my lunch. Do you mind if we sit here for a while before we drive back?" She avoided his eyes pretending that the old trees were in the center of her attention. She observed him from the corner of her eye.

"If this is what pleases you." He sounded irritated.

"We really don't have to." Her response was as clipped as his, "You know, lets better go."

"No. Stay." He stopped her standing in front of her.

She backed out pretending to be at ease. She stepped off the path and away from him and walked away. He trailed behind her. He did not make a single noice, his steps soundless as if he was stacking a prey. She felt his eyes on her back.

When they arrived at the further edge of the park, she had nowhere else to go but to approach a nearby tree. Throwing her bag on the soft grass, she sat on the ground with her hands behind her. Surprisingly the ground was warm from the sun and the green blades felt alive under her fingers. She stretched in the sun.

And he stared. Standing over her, within hands in his pockets. She could not see his face, but she knew his eyes were trained on her, probably her neck.

"What is that you want from me Jasper?"

He did not respond.

"You know, at the beginning of this deal, at least I knew. You were clear that you despised everything about my pack and myself. The poverty and background, our nature and smell. And you know? I still did not mind as much because at least I knew what was going on. But now this changed, didn't it?"

He did not even move. Resigned, she stretched her body fully on the grass, "Just whatever, vampire."

She closed her eyes. It was a long several weeks. With going back to school being hard, and trying to keep up with her pack obligations and stay close to Jasper. And the worst part of it that being with Jasper did not feel so bad. He did not attack her or show any cravings for anyone else. Rather, it was his rigid personality and being locked in his un-social world of blank stares and hissing responses that made feel so…She was not sure how she felt about this, but something was seriously lacking in this arrangement.

She opened her eyes to the vastness of blue sky. Shimmer of wind moved leaves on the trees and for a moment she confused them with the sound of the ocean. Her mind cleared of all thoughts.

"You have to feel it too. I know you do. I know." The last part reached her ears as a whisper.

She realized he was sitting close to her.

"You and I." This was all he said and her breath caught in her throat.

"There is no _you and I_, you should now that."

He sat directly in her line of sun, a cool shadow fell on her face. She opened her eyes to his face. So close to him, being able to see every spec of light in his eyes made her shiver. He radiated beauty and she basked in its light.

"Say it again. Look at me and say it." His expression was unbending.

"And then you will believe me?"

"No, I just want to see whether you can lie to me as effectively as you lie to yourself." He stared at her.

She was lying on the ground, her hair spread around her head. The black locks mixed with green blades arranged themselves around her like a circle of light around the heads of saints.

Her face was tanned and blushing, he could almost smell the blood under her skin. He followed his eyes along slim neck and breasts and stopped at the wrinkled aureoles of her nipples that her bra and shirt were not able to hide from him.

Her shape simple and graceful in his eyes, reminded him of renaissance paintings. Because somewhere from within her she radiated softness and light, like Venus of Milano; lightly tragic and lonely emerging into her beauty in front of his eyes.

Her blood used to repel him, as everything about her did. From the moment at his house, when she came and stood in the corned in her muddy dress and barefoot. He could still remember her face from that day, stubborn and angry.

Her face wet and breasts peaking though the moist fabric of her sundress, her hair tangled over the rusty skin of her neck. She smelled of forest and dog, he could smell other wolves on her too. It made him nauseous and angry.

Jasper remembered that she used to look at him with hatred and disgust. And perhaps if he thought for reasons behind her feelings, he could find a few that were pretty accurate. But then, during this explosive intervention meeting, he did not focus on details.

The emotions hit him like bullets. She hated him. He felt likewise. Strong and clear, without a speck of doubt in his mind. And if he had a chance to stop and analyze his feelings right then, perhaps he would be able to recognize the emotional dependency on her.

Yet, in the fever of anger, he was cleared of any rational thought. And he had not felt like that in decades. The anger made him alive.

He wanted to kill her then and squeeze each drop of blood from her skinny body. To cover himself in it. To suck it all.

He cursed himself for his hysterical blindness. Because it took him weeks, almost months to see, and what he saw terrified him more than the anger he carried within him.

She stayed on the grass, her eyes closed shut. He perched his body next to her, staying flat on his back. They stayed like this, motionless and spread on the grass like two starfish divided from each other by an inch of space. So close, and yet far away. The banality of the arrangement escaping them .

The autumn sky was deep blue and its brightness hurt his eyes. Without a word, he focused on her. She felt fear and resistance. He sensed confusion and arousal. Her all senses were solely focus on him.

"Stop it," she whispered not even turning toward him.

"Stop what," he decided to pretend denial too.

"I don't like it when you do it, how anyone can stand that?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, you, you invading them. It's like having this constant advantage over someone, like you stalking and staring at someone when she does not realize."

"It's who I am." He said back, his voice light not reflecting his hurt.

"I'm a predator, it's just one of many skills I just have. Like vision. You can't blame me for my senses."

"And yet, how people stand it when you make feel like that?"

"Like what, Leah?"

"Inferior."

"…"

"Yeah, you want me to be open with you, to talk about _that_ night." She kept her eyes shut, it was easier this way to say what she wanted, "But you are not doing anything to say what _you_ feel. If you want to talk, I need equality Jasper. I want to understand you too."

Jasper stayed quiet. He stopped his breath and waited for her to continue.

"Why cant you understand? I don't want you to read me if I can't read you, Jasper. You claim that we are connected, like friends or lovers, or…I don't know." She whispered and it was hard to catch her words as the wind moved the dry tree lives around them.

"I refuse to show you myself if you refuse me to see you." She opened her eyes, "I want to see what you feel. I need…" she stopped at the feeling of his hand on her writs, "You sure?"

"Yes."

And then he opened to her, and the deep blue of the sky swirled and exploded with all colors in her eyes.

It blinded her thoughts and chocked her breath.

She felt. She FELT.

000


	14. Chapter 14

_**Beta: BlackwaterLove the Great**_

_**AN: Yes, this is the official 'lemon' chappie. So, kids please stay out.**_

**The Change, Chapter 14**

"_The Discovery."_

The world seemed so far away right now. No family, no ironic comments, no orders…only the two of them, surrounded by thick cover of old trees, their hands linked together. They were aware of people walking in the distance, laughs and casual conversations rolling somewhere in the background. Cars, police voices, distant requests of leaving the campus left them undisturbed. And all of that mixed with the sound of birds and the sensation of light autumn sun on the skin.

She made a move to sit but he pulled her down, and brought her hand to his face.

"Stay like that, don't move," his voice sounded relaxed and lazy.

"Why?" She could not help but smile.

"Your skin," he opened his eyes, "it's warmer than in humans."

"So? Wouldn't this make my wolfy smell worst to you?"

"Not really, you smell of the wolf only after transformation. And your smell, he smiled apologetically, "is like a wet dog then. Usually." He looked at her hands examining her thin wrist, "But when you are in your human body, you smell…well, like a human to me. But your blood is warmer. Your skin is warmer. I can smell your blood though your skin, it's as strong as your sex..."

He sounded casual, but he did not look at her. He let he feel his emotions instead, and Leah blushed.

"Stop that," she whispered but did not really mean it. Jasper pulled and embraced her in his arms.

"Why would I do that?" From underneath her, he looked at her face, his eyes twinkling. She stared back at his face not even trying to suppress her smile. This felt so right.

"Well, for one thing," she propped herself against his chest, her hair falling at his face tickled him in the hose. Jasper reached for the loose strands and slowly brought them behind her ear. His hand lingered on her ear and countered her face.

"…for one thing, we may be connected, but we don't even know each other."

"Hmm?" He clearly did not pay attention, his fingers playing with the collar of her blouse, were touching lightly her neck.

"Listen, vampire you!" her attempted anger only made him laugh.

"All right, she-wolf, if you want to _get to know me_, you can ask me three questions."

"Three? Why only three?" Leah brought her lips closer to his face. She could feel blush spreading beyond her face on chest, and Jasper adjusted his hips under her. His shape pointed now at her inner thigh.

He moved again and she could feel his penis closer to her, pressing in between her legs. She could not stop but close her eyes and push back at him, her mouth opened in a voiceless moan. When she looked at him, she expected a smirk or a grin. Instead he looked at her, lips pressed together and eyes dark as a night ocean.

She kissed him then, slowly bringing her lips to his. She licked first and he opened for her. She tasted him, gently probing with the tip of her pink tongue. When he reacted with only hardened breathing, she went further climbing up his body a little.

And when he finally responded, Leah's eyes shut. He caught her and locked her legs with him, and then turned fast. She realized she was now underneath him, her legs locked behind his knees. With her world still turning in her eyes, she was ready for anything he was to give her. Right there, right then.

And then they heard a repetitive and exaggerated cough. A loud one. Right next to them.

Leah jumped, and Jasper sat up pulling her behind him protectively.

Over them, just two steps away stood an elderly campus security guard, a goofy smile did nothing to hide his amusement, "Eh, I am sorry to interrupt, but we have a bomb threat, all students have to leave the campus until a further notice." He recited eying Leah.

Jasper stared at him with narrowed eyes, his hand around Leah's.

"Oh, sure. We will, right Jasper?" Leah put a hand on Jasper's arm.

Jasper stared at the guard from the ground, his eyes dangerously focused on his neck.

"So, yeah, just make sure you leave soon." The guard addressed them again, growing uncomfortable under Jasper's stare.

"Jasper?" Leah spoke quietly, and circled his waist with her arm, "Let's go."

Jasper turned to her, staring at her face without a word. Leah closed her eyes and pressed her chest to his, "I know, Jasper, I feel it too…"She breathed in his ear.

The guard shook his head. "Young people this days," He mumbled under his nose as he walked away.

000

Joined in an embrace, they watched as the security guard disappeared in the distance. The campus seemed empty and only lonely police crews drove around. On the other side of the campus, the village flourished with life as students celebrated a bonus day off.

The sun slowly disappeared behind clouds, the air became colder. And yet, the couple stayed together savoring the touches and sexual whispers. "Jasper," Leah put her hand on his to stop him for a moment, "we really should go."

"I don't want to go," his both hands were bluntly on her breasts. He stared on how his hands lifted them and pinched at the nipples.

"Jasper!" she wanted to say something but he put his lips on her ear, "Shhh, Leah. I want you." He licked her earlobe, "I want to fuck you right now, darling…" the coldness of his tongue did not help, and she was slowly loosing her mind. She felt his hand leave her breast and move toward her wrist. He placed her palm on the front of his trousers, "Do you feel this, Leah, I am so ready," he breathed. His penis was ridiculously large in her hand, even though his jeans she felt its hardness. "Jasper, we can't here…" He pushed into her hand, she squeezed him.

"Fuck! Don't stop, please…" To encourage her, he sucked on her earlobe lightly and let his tongue explore her soft skin in slow licks. His tongue felt rough and sharp, provoking her to moan each time he moved it across her skin. It was cool and wet, and she could not stop imagining how it would feel if he licked her _there_.

" I can smell your blood…and your cunt too. I can taste the smell on your skin." He lapped on her skin staying focused on the neck, his one hand behind her head holding her close to him like ragged doll, the other undoing her pants and crawling between her legs. "Fuck Jasper…" but he didn't let her speak, his fingers inside her and moving along her labia roughly.

"Leah, don't stop now, darling. Don't you see how much I need you?" Ever the vampire, his needs shook his senses and ruled his body. She felt him opening his pants and pulling his cock out. With his heavy weight on her she could not see him, but clearly felt each move. He pressed his erection to her. She was right when she thought it was huge before, and when he touched her she could feel his pre-come wetness seeping though her blouse. There was sense of finality in this act.

"Jasper," she clung to the rest of her conscious thoughts as she forced his face to look at her, "I'm yours. I'm yours in any way you need me. Any." And although she meant this as her imprint declaration of commitment, Jasper only smiled. His eyes came back to onyx, and he took her lips and forced his tongue deep inside her throat, "That's good Leah, so good, " he whispered into her hear as he finished, "because I feel a need to fuck you now, darling, in every way imaginable," she shivered at the thought. "I will fuck you so hard, darling, that you will feel my imprint on you. Fuck, everywhere, darling, I will make my home in you, in your body," he hissed against her skin, rocking into her body. She wanted to respond, to say something, anything, but simply could not. He kissed her and overtook her senses again. The hand in her pants rubbed and pinched her clit, not stopping even when she convulsed and clenched against him.

And then he stopped and pulled away. She opened her eyes surprised, "What…"

"Bring your hips up," was all he said as he pulled her pants down her legs.

"Jasper, _here_?" She looked around, but the park was empty, the trees and bushes giving them relatively solid cover.

"I don't care _where_, darling, _now_," he jumped at her, and she almost jumped back, started by his speed. But he gently held her in his arms, his face so close to her that their noses touched, "I want you always. I want you to be mine. My only, darling," His words although sweet, were laced with a double meaning. She felt his possessiveness imprinting on her body like a stamp.

She brought her hand to his penis, "I don't share either, Jasper." She dragged her fingertip along the moist head and quizzed him hard. This was her call for him, and he responded. Thrusting into her palm, he kissed her skin and let his teeth scrape against her neck. He kissed her right breast, not too gently sucking at the nipple while flicking the other with is thumb. He liked to lick, his tongue repetitive and rough against her skin until she whimpered and her breast blushing red. " Shush, darling…" He laughed darkly, his lips touching her. And then he pulled out of her hand and stood up on his knees.

"Stand up,"

"What…?" Dizzy and disoriented, she looked at his towering figure, his dick standing up in her face. It was dark red and large, thick liquid at its top. She thought of taking him into her mouth, would she fit it all? She licked her lips.

"Stand up," he ordered again with a soft voice. She matched his position, but he pulled her further to her feet and spread her legs apart. "Stay like that," he whispered staring at her sex, "I like your pussy, darling, oh, so sweet," he whispered as he touched the line of her short hear and traced fingers to her labia. She caught a tree to stay upright, "Jasper, what the…" she stopped as he brought his face directly in between her tights, biting lightly on the soft skin, "Quiet, Leah, stop taking," he used his tongue again, with hands around her butt. He licked her again, with long rough laps inside her and diving further into her opening. Like a dog, did it over and again, with her shaking like a leaf. When he stopped, he took his face away form her pubic hair to replace it with his cold hand. She gasped loud, and he laughed. "Do you like it Leah? Do you like it like this?" His thumb pressed and moved over her clit and rest of his hand dived insider her. Roughly and fast. He did not stop his moves, instead he stood up and backed her aganist a large tree. "What else do you like, darling?' At this point, she was not sure whether he talked to her or himself, his eyes on her pussy and his wet hands.

When he pulled out of her it was only to push into her. He lifted her up wither legs wide apart, she circled his waist. And when he first tried to shove into her, she bit a scream. "Ah, you are too big, Jasper" she mumbled, but he continued to push slowly, her whimpers becoming a continuous moan. The pain of his invasion passing slowly. And then he started moving forward and withdrawing back, moving her body upwards against the smooth bark. "Fuck," was all he said, and Leah moaned in response. "Open your eyes Leah," he whispered into her ear, "Look at whom you chose, darling." His face was twisted in pleasure and his mouth opened. Strangely beautiful in the ecstasy, but with eyes dark and wild. They were no longer black, but red speckles shone though them, in the primal ecstasy revealing his true self. He terrified and excited her, her will submitting to his needs.

With each push she breathed hard trying to force oxygen to her chest, but she felt like with each breath she inhaled less. Entire body tingling and blood pulsing though her, waves of pleasure overcame her. She clung to him, her arms around his neck. She kept her lips on his neck, biting and kissing almost hysterically. The orgasm hit her strong, blocking her senses and overtaking with a soft hum of her blood in her ears. She only was aware of him inside her, moving rhythmically and hitting her clit with each thrust. Her body shook but he kept going, his penis thrusting fast to become erratic.

He clung to her in his release, and then with her in his arms, he fell on the ground.

"So vampires can loose their strength too." She laughed breathlessly not even trying to untangle herself from him. She still felt the sensuality of the situation, his release licking from her along her inner thigh. She smiled.

He held her to him, moving slightly so she was on top of him and he could see her face, "You okay?" he asked, surprisingly shy now. She laughed loud and looked down at him.

His eyes lost their red light, and the darkness gave a way to his normal grey color. He looked concerned and unsure of her reaction, "Was I too rough?" He touched her face with his hand, "Sometimes I forget myself. With you…did I hurt you?"

"No Jasper, you didn't do anything I would not want you to do," she smiled at him with blush. "I have never felt…hell, this was the best fuck of my life," she hid her face in his chest and he laughed. His hand dived in her hair petting her lightly, "Me too, darling, me too." He kissed her forehead.

It was becoming late, and luckily nobody wandered into their corner of the park yet. They could hear police officers calling off the bomb alarm. "Damn kids, this is third time this year they called us with a fake alarm!" Somebody hollered nearby. They jumped, awoken from their after sex glory.

"Shit," she hissed pulling her pants back, panties forgotten for the sake of time. Jasper scrambled his clothes too, fully dressed before she had a chance to finish buttoning her clothes. "And what happens now?" He addressed her with crooked smile. She closed her eyes hoping to regain some of the rational though.

"Can we go somewhere so I can refresh? I don't feel that I should go back home like that." Indeed, she looked fully shagged, complete with ripped bra and swollen lips.

"I know just the right place," He smiled mischievously.

000


	15. Chapter 15

_**Beta: BlackwaterLove **_

_**The Change, Chapter 15**_

"_From Here to Eternity."_

The library was an overgrown concrete and glass construction, with its solid walls planted in between the park and a busy campus street. The front of the building looked undisturbed, no wind or sounds reached their senses.

The main doors unlocked, Leah and Jasper were able to enter the building unnoticed by anyone. Just before she touched a brass handle on the main doors, she turned around for a moment; bright green of the grass and red brick of the pavement burned on the retinas of her eyes, and then she pushed the library doors open.

The massive doors closed shut quietly behind them. The view that welcomed them was a strange one. Normally busy with rattle of gossip and studious academics, the alarm made the library perfectly void of anyone. The building was strangely quiet.

The stations devoid of students, their books left haphazardly on tables and chairs. Most of the computers were on, releasing a quiet electronic buzz into complete silence. Bright lights illuminated the open space, several loose pieces of paper lied thrown randomly on the floor. Everything here radiated a ghostly ambiance, one that can only be found in a middle of the night at abandoned industrial plants and closed down factories.

Leah walked slowly, careful not to step over the abandoned papers. She heard an amused laugh behind her. She turned to look at Jasper who smiled widely.

"You are a shape shifter who fights vampires and you just offered yourself to one. With pleasure, I may add," he stepped closer and she felt his breath on her neck, "and an empty building gives you creeps?"

"It's not that, there is something…eerie about it, don't you feel that? It is like ticking of the clock somewhere behind your back, but when you try to find it, you cannot" She turned to look at him, but he only smiled.

"I only feel your uneasiness. Don't worry, I am certain we are here alone."

They walked through the building toward their favorite corner where Leah could drop her bag and throw herself in a plushy armchair. Her legs and arms spread widely over the cushions, making her look like a starfish. She rested her head on the back of the chair and looked at the ceiling.

"What happens now?" She asked quietly knowing that Jasper was contemplating the same problem.

"I guess it's quite simple, actually."

She raised her head to look at him, but she found him next to her, sitting on the arm of her chair.

"Simple?" She grew annoyed, "We are too different for this," she gestured between them, "to survive. My family, my tribe will hate us. "

"They wont, they clearly accepted Jacob and his imprint. If anything, he will support," he paused to mock her gesture, "this."

She glared at him, "Perhaps, but what about your family? Don't you have a wife somewhere there?" She said with mortification. Somehow it was too easy to forget his wife when with him.

"No." he sad firmly and touched her arm, "Stop this Leah. My marriage to Alice ended a while back. Now when I think about it, she felt that this might have happen months ago. She left me Leah."

Leah studied Jasper carefully, his face was, as usual, blank. "How can you say that and be so…unemotional about it?" Her voice was almost accusing. He did not say anything but looked down at her.

"Is there a chance you can stand up for a minute, Leah?" She blinked and he smiled and repeated slowly, "Stand up, only for a moment." Surprised, she obliged and he swiftly replaced her in the chair, and then pulled her down to sit on his lap. She adjusted herself to sit across his body, her back supported by one arm of the chair, and legs hanging form the other side. Now she could enjoy his hands on her _and_ look in his face at the same time. Despite herself, Leah smiled like sated cat.

"Leah, you know how old I am, don't you?" Leah nodded. "And you know that since I was a young men, child really, I fought?" Leah stared in his eyes.

"I fought in domestic wars, I saw human slather, rape, child murder. _I_ was killing and raping. This is my past." He spoke slowly, "I know you don't want to hear this, or think about me like that, but you need to know _whom_ I was, before we start talking about what may happen in the future." His hand rested on a side of her face as if trying to warm it, the humanity of his gesture not lost to Leah.

"I fought human and vampire battles and lead troops for sure kill. I have lived though more war than anyone else not because I am the oldest, but because I was an active participant in every single of them. Sometimes forced or lured, or so crazed that I chose it myself, but my life was built of war." He hugged her closer, "And if there is one thing that makes all wars similar, it is the loss." She looked at him, his lips barely moving as his voice became a whisper, "You learn that nothing lasts, everything is to be lost. My human mother and life, money, my vampire lovers and mates, no one stays forever. Nothing lasts forever."

She was unsure what to say, afraid that anything she could come up with would sound banal and stupid in the face of his past. Nevertheless, she held him closer.

"I will never leave you, Jasper." Jasper smiled at her like at a child.

"I know darling, I know." She was not sure what he meant, but felt strangely looking at his self-satisfied smile, "You are the only person in the entire world of whom I can be certain of. You are the only female wolf, right?"

"I am," she nodded like a child.

He studied her face back, "Then you are mine, darling." He looked at her, "We are already connected, with no option of going back, this is how your imprint works, correct?" Leah nodded again, and he run his hand through her hair, "we just need to lean each other now." He kept smiling and she stared at him with fascination, mesmerized by his beauty.

She kissed him back when he leaned to her, responded to his advances. She was his, she reasoned. And basked in his desire for her.

000

Kissing him was everything, she thought. His lips and taste, the tiny aroma of bergamot in his breath and skin…Addiction to him grew within her like a new life, and she would nursed it until it became love. He was love, she felt, _the_ _love_. In his arms, surrounded by vastness of the empty building, there were only the two of them. He let her feel his desire.

She felt his possessiveness and need for her. When he smiled like that, she knew he dreamt of their future together. And then he whispered in her ear, "I will do anything to keep you with me, Leah, anything." It sounded like a sweet whisper, but his voice carried a note of warning, _I will give you anything, but I will also do anything to keep you. Anything. _

And her spine shivered in excitement. She belonged now entirely to him, with her man holding her so tight she could feel nothing else. She kissed him and licked letting him hold her in his lap. And when he took off her blouse and touched her naked breasts she only bent her body like a bow to feel and to give him more.

And she begged him to fuck her when she could not take his cold fingers anymore, whimpering and mewling so he would take her there. And he did, sitting in the chair with her over him, her naked legs spread apart and riding him rhythmically.

He kissed her neck, his fingers wrapped in the waves of her dark hair. He bit lightly on her skin and held her thighs hard as he pushed into her till she moaned insensibly, her body soft and shaky.

"Show me how you want me," he whispered and she would keep riding him, her strength renewed as he rubbed her swollen clit between his fingers. "Move like that, like that…" he moaned, loosing his senses as her heated body surrounded him and pressed. Her dark nipples, pebbled in his mouth and smell of sex so sharp and strong that nothing else could reach his senses…he felt her lean body, so hot it burned him. And he could not keep his release, fucking her as if he were a teenager masturbating over a dirty picture stolen form his older brother's desk. Fast and hard, lasting only shameful minutes.

And here was she, blushing and with swollen lips and face so lovely he could remember nothing more beautiful. With a body he could fuck forever. "Darling, oh darling," he whispered in her ear as he stopped his body from trebling, "I can't stop wanting you…" and when he looked at her face, she just smiled at him, her eyes deep brown, offering him all of her. He took her, again and again.

000

The library chair, surprisingly sturdy, stood in one piece several hours later. They could slowly pick up on the vices of library staff, as cleaning crews entered the building for the night clean up.

"Perhaps we should leave?" Her voice quiet as she leaned on him. Both completely naked, they rested on the library floor, their chair temporarily abandoned for the exploration of other sexual options. And options they were…she smiled at the memory of the past few hours and sighted. Her body needed some rest now.

He hooked his arm around her, "You haven't rested yet, Leah," and she smiled at his thoughtfulness.

"After sex like that, I will need a little more than twenty minutes to rest. More like hours."

"How about we clear out from here then, and drive somewhere where you can rest?" He touched her face and played with her hair, "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, you tired me," she laughed, "I need refueling."

"We will grab something at the village, and can go back home, how about that?" He lifted himself on his elbows, and Leah looked around to locate her forgotten clothes.

"Home?" She became uneasy, "Do you think we should tell them…" she meant to finish, but a feeling stopped her. A ticking sound reached her ears, and at the same time Jasper stood pushing her roughly behind.

"What…?" She wanted to ask more, but froze at the sound. Jasper hovered close to the ground, arms spread and his head tilted.

He looked like panther, ready for the attack, his naked body tense, and every muscle prepared. For what?

The sound was not obvious at the beginning, starting with a low electrical hum and becoming a storm, slowly rolling through the walls of the building. Within seconds, it grew to the degree of scream. A first explosion shook the building throwing them both on the floor.

Leah fell on the ground covering her ears at the uproar of the noise, a detonation of sound so great it took over everything. Eruption that escalated beyond their senses and blinded them like prisoners. And then the shaking started, first slight, it momentarily moved into terrible convulsions around them.

The building moved with the final collapse of the eastern wall. She felt Jasper throwing himself over her, curling his body around her like a shield. His arms around her neck and head, and his back armoring her from the large fractions of concrete that fell on them.

The walls crumbled and ceiling fell in large pieces, dust surrounding them from everywhere. She screamed and he pushed her in a corner that could offer them more protection, but she felt objects hitting them, his body bending under the weight of steel blocks and sharp shards of glass.

One of them hit them hard, and despite his strength, she felt it cutting though their bodies, a cut that severed his back, carving in his spine until Jasper howled in pain. Leah jumped toward him, but next shard came hitting again, this time her blood spitting everywhere.

When she managed to open her eyes, she realized he was on the floor, her body in between a crumbled wall and a piece of metal beam. Her vision unstable and her legs strangely without any feeling.

She tried to move, but only her arms would obey her, rest of the body crawling between the debris of the building. The dry throat refused to produce sounds, convulsing in dry fits of cough. Terrified and disoriented, she searched for Jasper among the chaos. Trying to tune her senses to him, she felt nothing.

The fire started too, fist only noticeable and a sharp smoke in the throat, but then suddenly exploding everywhere. With failed sprinklers, the fire grew fast, adding roaring sound to the decimating walls, dry books burning like matches. The library slowly became their death trap, she though as she searched with her eyes for Jasper. And when she finally noticed his form from behind walls of dust and smoke, her heart stopped.

Jasper lied on the floor, his back cut along the spine, a large shard of glass sheet still tucked inside his chest. She could clearly see the muscles and bones severed inside and the dark bloodless cavities of his body.

He lied crushed under a wooden bookcase, books that used to filled it on fire and spread around Jasper like circle of death. And Jasper himself, lifeless and broken, with face wet from her blood.

His torso cut through, one half staying with the body and supporting his head, but the other unnaturally twisted under the weight of concrete shards. Fire licking at his skin burned the flesh with a slow hiss and dark smoke.

Leah cried, forcing herself to crawl closer, through the fire, debris, through her pain and weakness. Her strength inhuman, perhaps increased by the adrenaline in her blood and fear. When she reached him, she pulled him pout of the circle of fire, crawling in spastic moves of her arms.

Crying and puling, she pushed herself with one arm while holding to his broken form. She could not cry or run, and with the wild desperation, a logical thought lit in her mind. Her cries were weak, she kept pushing till she passed the fire lie and located the old chair. Between its cushions she found what she looked for, the last resort. Her cell phone.

Leah never prayed in her life, but now she wished she knew how to; one press of the call button brought her the longest seconds of her life. The lazy, "Hello?" was her survival.

"Jake," her voice as crippled as her body. "There is fire, the library, Jasper may be dead."

It was all she said, all she could before she fell on her face, letting Jasper's body to fall on her.

"He feels warm," she said as her world ended, "like a human."

000


	16. Chapter 16

_**Beta: BalckwaterLove**_

A/N: And this, my friends, is the end. The last two chapters wrap up the story. I know that some of you may be disappointed that the story will not follow Leach and Jasper though their journey as they fight for acceptance, develop the relationship into their own family unit, etc. etc. I know. But this fiction was never intended to grow beyond their "realization" as it is the main theme and idea of the story, and I hope you forgive me that. I intended to show the idea of gradual imprint though series of different points of views and situations, and I hope it succeeded. My second goal, of course, was to give Leah her own vampiric happy end:)

With this lengthy into, ladies and gentleman…

_**The Change, Chapter 16**_

"_Eternity."_

In this moment she almost forgot about the fire, about the explosion, and about her broken body. Only Jasper existed—his body was severed and cut and yet she worried the most about the burns that covered his skin. His beauty eaten away by flames, strong stench of death coming from his skin in waves.

Leah turned to look at him, wilted and lifeless like a ragged doll. His skin was burned away in most places, tips of his beautiful fingers turned into dark ash. He did not breath, his body quietly let down even by the death by which he used to live.

If she could, she would howl. Beaten down by explosion and silenced by dust, she brought her hands to his face. With the rest of the strength she possessed, she turned him, not able to prevent his body from further disfiguration. She did not pay attention to glass and books that covered the floor. Once flipped underneath her, his torso opened further like a clam. She tried to correct this, crying in the dust and smoke, to bring his flesh together. Perhaps then, just then his beauty would return.

Esme once told her that true beauty was only in those who were alive. She recalled this memory thinking that she would give anything to bring Jasper back to his life, or death, or whatever that would return _him_ back to the world.

And the only thing she could she did.

A long shard of glass. Her wrist. His mouth.

She closed her eyes and cut her skin in a large 'X' in her forearm. Slow and deep cut that forced her blood out of her body and inside him. She closed her eyes praying to her ancestors, to life itself.

His mouth was lifeless as the blood flew into him. Passive and dead, warm against her wrist.

And the only thing she felt was the growing coldness in her body as the blood and consciousness left her. The lingered to her senses till nothing else persisted.

000

Rosalie ran. She was never the fastest of them, but now her speed was unmatched. Shouting something over the phone, she raced to the car. Her fingers shook, perhaps for the first time since she killed her first human. Her first kill was horrific and great, terrifying her and traumatizing. She still could hear the screams of this child, as she sucked his blood clumsily and without respect for his pain. _A child_. She still cried sometimes, biting her fists not to scream in the middle of the night.

But this was worst, much worst. She could not loose him, him who carried the weight of her pain, her true brother. The only one who knew _everything_ about her and still loved her for what she was. She run trying to gather her thoughts.

"Jacob, where the fuck are you?" She hissed across the house despite knowing that Jacob and Seth already waited for her in the garage.

"Sorry, we…" Seth's body shook like a leaf, "Carlisle told us to take some blood with us." He stupidly waved his cell phone and medical blood bags he held in his hands. She only pushed past him and into her car.

"Where is Carlisle?" She barked starting up the engine.

"He's already in town, he said he'll try to meet us there." Jacob placed a hand on Seth's arm. Phasing in a car would only delayed their commute.

Rosalie became unusually quiet and focused on the road. They drove, fast and with taking all possible risks. Seth kept shaking, squeezing the plastic bags of human blood in his hands. Jacob did not pretend to be cool or composed. He closed his eyes and prayed.

000

The campus was a mess. Police crews and firefighters, along with multiple medical teams occupied the streets, yellow tape keeping the observers from entering the danger zone. There were several TV crews and hundreds of people. Some of them prying or in cry, all staring at the burning and half-collapsed library. Everyone stood on the street facing the gigantic site of explosion.

"Everyone, please stand out! There may be another set of explosives in one of the buildings!" The voice of a policeman boomed out of a megaphone over the noises of the rescue crews and cry of the injured people. The main building stood only partially destroyed. About one third of the construction still intact, fire glazing over the shattered parts. Firefighters run everywhere struggling to contain the flames, yet, no one was allowed to enter the building. The roar of flames and cracking frame of the budding prevented anyone from even approaching the site.

Rosalie stood assessing the situation for not longer then a second. She grabbed Jacob's hand and walked though the crowd. They circled the building.

"I'm going in. You with me?" It wasn't a question, she rather barked the words fast like an order.

"Yes," came a double answer.

"I will run, I'm fast enough that they wont see me climbing the back wall," they were lucky as the darkness overtook the day, thick smoke further blocking the vision.

"What about us?" Seth grew angry, but Rosalie hissed back.

"I don't care, you are on your own. I'll call you if I find them." She turned toward Jacob and exchanged a glance with him. She crossed under the yellow tape and before anyone could see her, she was gone in the smoke running in the direction of undisturbed part of the building.

"What about us?" Seth asked, but Jacob had already ran behind Rosalie, his clothes forgotten on the grass. Seth put the blood bags into his mouth and jumped behind him. Two wolves in the vastness of the smoke and dust melted in shadows like the night.

000

The entrance was easy to find as the outside walls were cracked and broken by the explosion. Following the smell, they fought their way inside. Stone by stone, and removing loose beams, their search went slowly. Yet, the smell lead them to more damaged parts of the building. The water form the firefighters' hoses already reached the upper levels, leaving the floors wet and sleek. Low hiss of dying flames and steam mixed with the smell of fire. They kept on walking.

Their scent was the strongest there. Rosalie sniffed deliberately, narrowing her eyes to focus her vision. The smell of the girl and Jasper. It wasn't his typical smell, but still familiar.

She sniffed again. And then realization hit her. It was…

Jacob and Seth didn't pay attention to the nature of the smell, as they ran forward to a small niche behind the main wall.

Their heartbeats sped up. An unnatural growl erupted.

Rosalie walked slowly to the niche and froze at the sight.

And then, took a careful step back, her eyes glued to the scene in front of her.

000

Jasper sat on the floor, his skin pearly white and shiny. She could see damage on his chest and arm mending itself flawlessly, second by second. His eyes were bright red, flashing with madness.

And in his arms…in his arms was the girl, pale like a petal of a white rose, her heartbeat so quiet and slow, almost undetectable for the vampire's ears. He held her, staring at her face. His legs crossed around her, right arm clenching possessively to her waist and the other on her forearm.

A forearm that bruised and streaked with blood. Trying to tame a blood flow with his fingers, he pressed at a large gash in her skin, his body moving slightly back and forth. Absorbed by her, he sang, words of an old melody leaving his lips, "_right angels beside my darling abide, they will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast_…"

He sang the three verses over an over, rocking the limp body. She noticed his muscles were tense and his mind unaware of his surroundings. Dried blood on his mouth.

She new this sight, she saw it hundreds times before.

"Jacob," she whispered backing out, "stay away. Turn human, fast."

Once away from Jasper and his girl, Rosalie took her cell phone out, "Carlisle? Can you sense us? Yes…"she spoke fast, "Yes, he is…he is back to _newborn_, Carlisle. He has her blood all over him and he's holding her. No, I don't think he'll let us. I think we should leave them like that till you come." She continued.

"Fuck no," Seth spat behind her. Rosalie looked at him.

"You don't understand, boy. He is stronger then me. Hell, he is now stronger then all of us combined." She looked at him in desperation. "There is nothing I can do, kid."

"Fuck you, Rosalie," This time Jacob entered the discussion in a pressured whisper, "I will not let her die like this. She is dying you know that, don't you!"

She turned her eyes away.

"Fuck this…" Jacob snarled, and phased in followed by Seth. They looked at Rosalie hard. She closed her eyes, "Okay, just please be careful with him…" She pleaded but followed Jacob.

The moment they entered and surrounded him, Jasper growled hard, his teeth flashing in the darkness. Not easing his hold on Leah, he hovered closer to the floor standing slowly to his knees.

"Jasper, "Rosalie said quietly, "We are here to help Leah. If we don't help her, she will die."

Jasper snarled like an animal and backed a step away from them, Leah's body half hanging and half dragging in his embrace.

Leah moaned quietly in pain.

Jasper turned his attention back to her, adjusting her body in his arms like a large doll. And in one moment of inattention, Seth jumped, clearly attacking Jasper's throat. Jacob added to the assault aiming at the freshly attached shoulder.

But it did nothing to subdue him as Jasper fought back, howling wildly, trying to bite his opponents. He threw Leah behind him, and shielded her from the wolfs. His form threatening to kill, and venom at the tips of his sharp teeth a promise of death.

"She's mine!" He screamed and lunged himself at Jacob. With his strength, Jacob stood little chance in an open fight. He backed out trying to move aside but Jasper's hand reached his neck throwing the wolf on a wall.

Jasper was not fighting. Jasper _was_ a fight. His speed and strength were a mortal weapon for any wolf.

And yet, it took only a second to stop him.

One bullet. One bulled, precisely aimed at his heart.

Carlisle stood in the entrance to the small niche with a pistol in his hand, Rosalie next to him on her knees.

"What…?" She mumbled, but Carlisle didn't listen, he ran over to Leah, "Jacob, take her to the car, have Rosalie drive. Wait." He commanded pulling a medical shot out of a small pouch. With a swift movement of his arm, he nailed a long needle in Leah's chest. A second passed and Leah heaved hard, her eyes opening widely but not seeing anything. She looked shocked, her breaths deep and fast like after a marathon.

"What did you do?" Seth yelled ready to attack again.

"Adrenaline shot. It will keep her alive till we get out of here. Move her. Now!" He yelled and as Seth pulled her body out of the library, Carlisle turned his attention back to the vampires.

"Stop that Rosalie. Now, go with them. You'll drive, I'll follow behind." He said

"What will happen to him?"

Carlisle picked up the forgotten blood bag from the floor, "It was only a bullet. It'll keep him weak enough for only hour or two. Now, Rosalie, do what I say."

He turned around and Rosalie complied with his order. She ran, her thoughts around Jasper, _He will be fine, he will be fine…_

000

Days passed and she regenerated fast, but the severity of the injuries took toll on every part of her. The spine took the most damage, but her wolf strength allowed her body to fix that too. And now with her skin healed, her lungs restored, and her bones mended, she only had to regain the consciousness.

Not surprisingly, Jasper stayed with her, guarding her like dog. Although he regained his senses, he had to be force-fed with blood until he healed completely. His sanity restored, he stayed focused on Leah. He begged to be with her and fought again until they let him into her room. And only then he remembered.

Her blood in his mouth. She was _dying_ in his arms.

The memory of that hurt him like fire.

The memory warmed him inside. She had not left him. She was the one.

000

When she woke up, his were the eyes she saw first. He hovered over her smiling, his eyes tracing the patterns of her irises, the dilatation of her pupils.

"I need you," was what he whispered, and she smiled half conscious.

"I'm anything you need me to be," she whispered falling back asleep.

He stayed listening to her breathing.

000


	17. Chapter 17

_**Beta: BlackwaterLove **_

_**The Change, Chapter 17**_

"_New Routine."_

Weeks passed, and the Cullens' world changed little. Living in Forks, hunting in the local forest, maintaining daily façade of human life. Jacob, daily fixture in the house environment. Bickering with Rosalie, hunting with Nessie, adjusting to Leah and Jasper together.

All the elements fit together creating a simple life, almost harmony. But not always and not entirely...

Like now, when he stood in the living room trying to block the sounds coming from the upstairs. He thanked the goods Seth was not with him, "When will they fucking stop?" He kept a bottle of water in his hand, his knuckles white.

Rosalie looked disgusted, "I'll never understand why someone would want to fuck a dog?" She looked at her nails.

"Shut up, corpse girl." Jacob said offhandedly, but looked disturbed never the less.

"Do vampires have endless libido?" Jacob asked trying not to think about the couple upstairs. It was quite hard to stop the imagination, as the banging sound rezoned throughout the house again.

"Aah," Emmett commented appreciatively, "the wall, sweet."

Rose elbowed him in the ribs.

The three of them could hear a subtle meowing now, clearly Leah's. Emmett smiled. In the otherwise quiet house, the sex was seemingly out of place.

"Can't they just go somewhere else?" Jacob complained and Rosalie had to physically stop herself from saying 'I second that.' After all, mere noise was not an excuse to agree with the wolf on anything.

"Oh, stop complaining," Esme entered the room with a plate of sandwiches in her hand. Her step was unusually bouncy these days. She joined everyone in the contemplation of the sex sounds, her head tilted in concentration. And then she smiled, "I think it is nice to have some life around the house, don't you?" She placed the plate carefully on the cherry coffee table. She beamed at everyone.

Emmett snickered loudly, and Rosalie groaned.

Jacob thought about her words for a minute, "I guess," he shrugged and reached for the biggest sandwich.

The life at the Cullens as usual.

000

Jerry sat in his old oak chair. Years of careful observation made him wiser, he hoped. One thing he learned was that the older he became, the world seemed to change faster. Passing beauty, bolder fashion, and useless electronics. And yet, he was there, pushing ninety-eight and still in business.

And business had its ups and downs, but for some reason always stayed afloat in the small town in the NA Reserve. Perhaps due to random tourists who were so lost they wandered there by chance, or perhaps due to a solid community of locals who stayed faithful to their land, but the store persisted. And Jerry surprisingly lasted too, like a timeless fixture, native to the town's local charm. He sat in the front of his store and watched the life change and turn, and although little surprised him in his old age anymore, one thing puzzled him much.

_She_ stayed the same. Tall and lean, walking with long strides, often with dry leaves in her hair. Over the years the only difference he observed about the girl was her smile. She looked happy now. He sometimes wanted to ask about the secret of the resistance to time. A fancy moisturizer? Green vegetables? Goat milk? He sometimes wanted to ask but refrained.

Something in the brightness of her eyes or sharpness of her teeth, or perhaps the unusual precision of her movements, told him that he may not wish to know her answer. After all, everyone had their secrets, he decided to let her keep hers.

He turned his attention back to the street. And life around him went on.

A/N: Thank you for staying with this story to the end. I hope you enjoyed it a bit, as it was a great ride for me.

Well, see you around I guess:)


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